David Kendell has been appointed Director of the Department of Health.

David Kendell, the former Chief Environmental Health Officer, is the first to occupy the post, which was created last year after a reshuffle in departmental responsibilities.

“I look forward to the challenge of increasing the quality and sustainability of public health services offered by the department,” he said.

“The Department of Health serves the population of Bermuda from birth into old age. Health behaviours are complex and are in flux at each life moment and with the changing motivations of individuals.

“The scope and value of the services that the department provides is very broad — but in a nutshell, the Department of Health increases the capacity of every citizen to achieve optimal health and well-being through the entire life journey from conception through to old age.”

The new Director is responsible for the delivery of health services through clinics, schools, community-based services and long-term care facilities and the national health promotion, including health research, policy development and education, and prevention of illness and injury.

Mr Kendell said that, while demand for services is increasing, budget restraints as a result of the recession meant that staff were working with fewer resources.

“Emerging infections, less than optimal social environments, poor diet, inactivity, a rising number of special needs children, an ageing population and increases in chronic disease make this a challenging time to be the leader of the public health department,” he added.

Mr Kendell has worked for the department since 1991 and has been Acting Director since the post was created last May. He has a B. Sc in Science (Biology) from McGill University in Canada, an M. Sc in Environmental Health from the University of West England in the UK and an Executive Diploma in Strategic Management from Chartered Management Institute.

Government also announced that Calvin White is to become Acting Director of the Health Insurance Department following the departure of previous Director Colin Anderson in May.

Mr White, formerly the assistant director of the Department of Social Insurance, has more than 20 years’ experience in pensions management and previously worked in the accounting and financial services sectors in Bermuda.

He studied at the Wharton School for Executive Education, completing programmes in money management fundamentals and pension fund money management. He will oversee the development of department planning and the annual business plan and develops forecasts for the annual budget.