In its 2003 manifesto, the Progressive Labour Party pledged to:

¦ establish a Bermuda Health Council to spearhead a new approach to the management of healthcare

¦ establish a national treatment system with set standards of practice for treatment programmes

¦ proceed with plans for restructuring parish rest homes and long-term care facilities

¦ set up a rehabilitation centre at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital to provide care for seniors, stroke victims, people with hip replacements and others

¦ investigate the feasibility of a Mental Health Court for Bermuda to respond to the needs of mentally ill clients who can be maintained safely in the community.

Health Minister Michael Scott declined The Royal Gazette's request for an interview on how the PLP has gone about fulfilling those promises.

On the first pledge, the PLP set up Bermuda Health Council in January 2006, and the Ministry of Health has recently stated BHC has begun the process of establishing a regulatory regime for professionals and healthcare businesses.

However, doubts have already been cast over BHC's future following the release of notes from a secret meeting involving Premier Ewart Brown, Mr. Scott and Bermuda Hospitals Board members.

Mr. Scott's notes state: "The Chairman of BHB sounds warning that everything BHB does at the Hospital must be funneled through the Health Council.

"Even though the Minister decides. CEO gives example of the Request for Oncologist;

"Question can the Health Council be abandoned

"Next Question do we manage HeCo?

"Premier: leave to Minister to work on leadership of the HeCo and PS of Health to work on changes to legislation to repitch the statutory emphasis and authority of HeCo."

Work toward improving long-term care facilities over the past four years include opening the $25 million Sylvia Richardson care home in St. George's earlier this year, and the Rockaway Senior Development project in Southampton.

Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson and campaigners for the elderly argue much more needs to be done to meet the needs of Bermuda's ageing population, and Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Wayne Perinchief recently said Government supported the building of more rest homes.

Following the rehabilitation centre pledge, a day hospital opened at KEMH around a year ago to allow patients to be discharged earlier from hospital and still receive rehabilitative care.

Services are provided by physicians, nurses, a psychologist, occupational and physiotherapists, speech and language pathologist, social worker, aides, clinical dietician and others.

Regarding a Mental Health Court, Dr. Brown announced in last month's Throne Speech that Government would introduce meaningful alternatives to criminal sanctions for those with mental health challenges and would implement a Mental Health Treatment Court Programme. However, the Premier called a General Election a few hours after that pledge was made, so it is as yet unfulfilled.

Other efforts from the past four years, highlighted in the 2007 manifesto, include increased Health Insurance Plan benefits. Mrs. Jackson argues HIP is currently nowhere near enough, and the PLP has now pledged to "enhance health insurance options for the people of Bermuda."

The 2007 manifesto also states that the PLP has provided a new Hospital Master Plan, a long-term strategic plan for the hospital developed overseas consultants completed two years ago. However, critics have argued that too much time has been spent planning for the rebuilding of KEMH instead of pressing ahead with the job.

The manifesto also says the PLP has instituted an Island-wide health promotion strategy.