23/10/2012 BBC Channel Islands News

Our health in their hands - plans for a radical new health service go

before politicians. It is something we have to do, and we should have

done a long time ago. The time is right, and we need to address that

early. Plus - why Guernsey Police is winning the online popularity

contest - and why it's helping them fight crime. And a gem of Jersey

industry and architecture has been gifted to the island - find out why

Jersey's government has backed plans for a radical overhaul of the

health system. The new model is all about care in the community and

building a state-of-the-art new hospital. Today the Health Minister

said the States had no option but to change the way they deliver

health services - due to the aging population and spiralling costs.

Fundamental changes in the way Jersey's health system is run have

been debated today. An aging population, demand on services and

increasing costs have forced the Health Minister to produce a new

model. It focuses on care in the community, working closer with

voluntary organisations. The Health Minister admits the plans are

ambitious, but achievable. We want to be able to say if you're well

lets get you back into the community, but lets give you the

support that you need back in the community. We know that Family

Nursing and all the other voluntary sectors do a good job but they

don't offer twenty-four hour care and that's important, that's what

we want to do. The department will now focus health care in five main

areas: Healthy Lifestyles. Services for Children. Mental Health

Services. Services in the Community. And the Hospital. The reforms also

outline the need for a new hospital within the next ten years. Whether

the existing site can be modernised or a new building is needed, the

States have yet to decided. Costs have been estimated at around 430

million pounds. Scrutiny members overseeing the proposals aren't

convinced it's affordable. We have to say that the cost that was given

to us last week was of the highest of specifications, the ministers

very supportive of single bed units throughout the new hospital and if

you look at the costs and think realistically about the adorability

of this scheme, perhaps we may have to re-think on this decision. Today

the States agreed in principle to approve the new Health Services

proposals. But a decision on the whereabouts of the hospital has

been postponed until more detailed The trial of a Jersey politician

has begun at the Royal Court. Senator Alan Breckon is accused of

assaulting former close friend and colleague Suzette Hayes. This

afternoon Miss Hayes told the court Senator Breckon had drunk about

three bottles of wine and began dancing before he groped her and

seemed to try to kiss her. When she rejected this he slapped her and

kicked her head at least four times. Senator Breckon denies the charge

and the case continues. A 45 bed hotel is closing. The

green acres will close at the end of the month. 45 jobs will go to

redundancies. Police forces don't generally exist

to be liked - or to make friends - but Guernsey Police is more popular

than ever. Its Facebook page was only launched a few weeks ago but

is now used regularly by more than two thousand people. The force says

its their latest weapon in the war on crime.

When this road collapsed last week Guernsey police needed to let

islanders know it wasn't safe. So they turned to a new tool to do so.

Social media. They are using facebook to get information out

instantly and to reach more people. Whereas previously we would rely on

the written or the listening media to get those broadcasts out, now we

can go onto Facebook and it's instant for our users. I've got a

seventeen-year old daughter, she's on Facebook she's become a user of

our Guernsey Police Facebook Page. I think it's a perfect way to

engage with younger members of the community as well as older members.

More than two thousand people in Guernsey regularly look at the

website. Some ask questions to which the Police are happy to

respond - but there's a few who use it to show their dislike of the

island's force. Generally we do have to have a thick skin. People

are entitled to their opinions and provided that those opinions are

constructive then, you know, people are entitled to them. People who

are or wish to be abusive on the system, we've got the facility to

block those people. But obviously we don't want to do that because

people's opinions are valuable to us. The police say they need the

publics help to police the island - and they hope communicating in this

modern way will help make the conversations easier.

Running a charity lottery is fraught with risks - according to

the organiser of Guernsey's million pound lottery. Jack Honeybill, who

ran the Les Bourg hospice draw, says the law is too restrictive and

needs to change. The new Les Bourgs Hospice has been

open for almost a year. It's a charity that relies on volunteers

and donations from the community to survive. It cost �4m to redevelop,

and the hospice was until recently still in debt. At a recent lottery

has raised the French have and �40,000. -- The recent lottery has

helped raise �340,000 which means the public has paid off the

outstanding amount. But for the man responsible for the lottery he said

it almost didn't happen. The cost of the tickets did not even cover

the prizes. Because of that, and the fact we were really worried

that we would be working all these hours and making no profit, that's

when I decided to ask for a week extension. He says the law's too

rigid and no longer fit for purpose for such big lotteries. For example

he wasn't allowed to send lottery tickets out in the post. He also

says because the lottery is considered as 'gambling' there are

tight restrictions on selling tickets to young people. I

contacted the Government Department responsible for lotteries who

provided the following statement: "We are currently reviewing the

gambling legislation and doing work with law officers to amend some

legisltation. We are consulting with the gambling trade and with

charities as well to seek their views." So the hospice has got the

money it needs, by the skin of its teeth. People like Jack now hope

the law can change to prevent other charities ending up in financial

trouble. You're watching the BBC in the

Channel Islands. Later in Spotlight with Justin and Victoria: After the

deluge - the Flood victims fighting An archaeological treasure dating

back hundreds of years has been donated to the National Trust of

Jersey. The granite farmhouse has been preserved over the last few

decades by a Jersey woman who lived there all her life - and wanted it

to be kept in its original glory, Emma Chambers has been to see it.

Hidden in it's own quiet valley lies an historic gem. An old Jersey

granite farmhouse dating back five hundred years. In 1920 William

Harrison Bailey bought the house after successfully setting up his

own drapery shop. But the farmhouse's last owner was

Williams' granddaughter, Adeline Mundy, who inherited the farmhouse

along with the wooden chalet and the white house on the hill her

grandfather built - and has now left it all to the National Trust.

She was the only daughter, she was known to quite a few islanders as a

teacher. This was her home for all that time. She died in her late 90s,

she has been so deeply rooted in this house, she felt that the best

way to preserve it was to give it to the National Trust for Jersey.

And preserve it she has. Inside it's like stepping back into the

30's and 40's with the unique decor and Jersey furniture. But it's

outside the farmhouse that really shows it's age. The first thing

that strikes you is the wonderfully arch the doorway, that is a sign

that it comes from at least 500 years ago. We also have some very

interesting chimney stacks, which day the house to the 14th or 15th

century. It The trust will keep the property just as Adeline loved and

left it. And although it will be rented out - this unique charming

house will be open to the public once a year - so her lifetime of

treasures can be admired by future generations.

generations. Time for the weather now.

We should have an improvement in visibility as we get to the end of

tomorrow. Tonight, still a risk of some mist and fog. Overall it is

improving tomorrow, some bright mess by the end of the day. Very

light wind at the moment, that is not helping to shift that miss.

That breeze will increase tomorrow, the high pressure is moving off to

the West. Starting to see a change by the end of the week, a cold

front heading towards us. Much cooler conditions as well. It has

been quite mild with all of this cloud. Tonight, some drizzle, mild

temperatures, 13-14 degrees. Generally like to win thes

overnight. A grey start tomorrow, some brightness as we go throughout

the day, temperatures up to 16 degrees. It is improving, mainly

fair, becoming better later. The winds coming in from the east, are

a force five. The high water. For surfers, not a huge swell, some

clear waves, or one or two ft waves. More other -- and more of a breeze

on Thursday, plenty of sunshine by on Thursday, plenty of sunshine by

Saturday, but feeling cooler. A reminder of the top storey,