A doctor who wrote a letter to questioning the closure of a Government-funded clinic has resigned from her position ? two days after the letter was published.

Dr. Catherine Wakely was asked to relinquish her duties at the Medical Clinic on Thursday by the Bermuda Hospitals Board amid claims her actions went against a confidentiality code, it is understood. Yesterday, Dr. Wakely tendered her resignation.

Shadow Minister of Health Louise Jackson spoke about the resignation in the House of Assembly yesterday. She said: ?I understand that someone who has spoken out about the closure of the Medical Clinic, someone who worked at the hospital, has been asked to resign. Tell me it is not so. I cannot believe this, that because this professional spoke out against the hospital she no longer has a job??

When contacted by this newspaper last night, Dr. Wakely declined to comment on her resignation, but reiterated her belief that a debate was needed over the future of healthcare for the poor in Bermuda.

Her letter, published on Wednesday, was in response to the Government?s plans to abolish the Medical Clinic, based at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

The unit, formerly known as the Indigent Clinic, deals with up to 50 patients a week, including seniors and homeless people.

It has been described as an essential service for those who cannot afford to seek treatment through the usual channels.

However, Premier Ewart Brown announced in his Throne Speech last November that it would close because the dignity of its patients was being undermined. Dr. Wakely, who is originally from England and only recently started working at the Medical Clinic, stated in her correspondence to that the clinic was an ?excellent? resource which provides healthcare to people who badly need it.

Dr. Wakely said last night: ?I would still like the issue of healthcare for the poor of Bermuda to be aired amongst Bermudians.? She declined to comment further.

Her letter on Wednesday stated: ?Before we start destroying facilities where a great deal of resource has been so effectively utilised, the dignified thing to do is to open up debate within the population it serves.

?This is those Bermudians unable to afford health insurance. This then would give those patients a voice, instead of making decisions which affect their life in such an enormous way without even asking them if this is what best serves their interests.

?Bermuda has every reason to be proud of its Medical Clinic. It is an excellent resource providing health care to people who most need it.

?It is an example that Bermuda should be shouting about, not trampling underfoot. The doctors who are working in the Medical Clinic are the same doctors who see those with insurance in private healthcare.

?They are doctors with a specific interest in ensuring that the under-served of a population get provided with excellent healthcare despite their lack of means.?

A Bermuda Hospitals spokeswoman said yesterday: ?We can confirm that a recently-appointed doctor working in the medical clinic, who was still under probation, has resigned.

?As this matter concerns an employee, our duty of confidentiality means we are unable to provide further details.?

Transport, prescriptions and medical supplies are provided free at the Medical Clinic, while patients have access to X-rays and MRI equipment.

In its absence, it is expected patients will need to visit independent surgeries across the Island for an initial appointment. If necessary, they will go to the hospital for further treatment.

In the House of Assembly yesterday, Minister of Rehabilitation Dale Butler repeated Dr. Brown?s assertion that the clinic?s closure surrounded the dignity of patients. Mr. Butler stressed patients would not be ?short-changed? in the closure of the clinic.

He said in a statement to the House yesterday: ?You will be aware that the recent Speech from the Throne announced that the Government would abolish the so-called Indigent Care Clinic at the hospital.

?Everyone needs to be treated with dignity. It is wrong for any person in this community to be denied the same rights and opportunities as the majority of the population. This Government will ensure that in closing the medical clinic that the clients will not be short-changed on the quality or variety of services they have been accustomed to.?

He added: ?I wish to make it clear that a date has not been set for the closure of the clinic. Once all issues have been addressed regarding the delivery of service to the clients, they will be the first to be advised of the plan and an announcement will then follow in the media.?

Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson argued the clinic was a desperately needed service that needed to be maintained. She claimed it was not a threat to people?s dignity.

She told this newspaper: ?They used to call it the Indigent Clinic. Now it is called the Medical Clinic. How does that hurt somebody?s dignity? The clients who go there certainly don?t feel that way. There?s not one you can find who doesn?t want to remain with that hospital.?

Mrs. Jackson questioned whether all the patients would be able to find alternative GPs.

?Some of these people are mentally challenged, some are physically challenged and some are so poor they don?t even have telephones. How many of them are going to be able to get appointments? It?s a ridiculous situation.?

Dr. Wakely?s resignation comes a few weeks after Australian chef Anthony Reynolds resigned from Elbow Beach Hotel in the light of an alleged comment he made about putting arsenic in Premier Ewart Brown?s food.

Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess described the comment as ?tantamount to threatening an act of terrorism, a criminal act of a most heinous nature?.

Mr. Burgess said Government acted swiftly to ensure Mr. Reynolds left the Island as soon as possible after the incident happened.