The Ministry of Health's U-turn over the release of the Johns Hopkins healthcare review was prompted by reappointed Minister Nelson Bascome, it was revealed this week.

The Ministry previously refused all requests to share the report over the past four months because of an investigation into claims by former Minister Michael Scott that documents "may have been stolen" from his office.

Police this weekend confirmed that probe is continuing — meaning the Ministry must have changed its stance to release the document at the end of last month.

Permanent Secretary Warren Jones explained: "When the new Minister came in, he reviewed the report, discussed it with the BHB (Bermuda Hospitals Board) and determined that he would release it during the Budget debate."

This newspaper had made numerous requests to see the review — carried out by Johns Hopkins Medicine International with $200,000 taxpayers' money last summer — since it became embroiled in controversy in early November.

Four months ago, Mr. Scott's notes on a secret meeting of the so-called Saturday Group were leaked to The Royal Gazette, in which he said the Johns Hopkins report had to be managed and written to avoid embarrassing Government.

His notes also contained a statement attributed to management consultants Kurron Shares' boss Corbett Price — one of a number of health bosses who joined Mr. Scott and Premier Ewart Brown for the get-together — that "the reports out of KEMH will be devastating".

Mr. Scott described his notes as private and not official minutes — although they were typed up, set out in minute form and shared with other members of the Saturday Group.

After this newspaper informed Mr. Scott it had a copy of his document, the then-Minister put out a statement saying confidential documents may have been stolen from his office — even though other people present at the meeting are on the record as saying his notes had also been shared with them.

The Police investigation was launched, and Mr. Scott and the Ministry consistently cited that probe as their reason for not releasing the Johns Hopkins report — although this newspaper pointed out the Police investigation did not involve the Johns Hopkins report.

Police have refused to comment on the case, other than to say inquiries are ongoing. This newspaper has contacted Mr. Scott to ask him to drop his allegations, but he has not replied.