A health advocacy group has submitted a proposal to the Bermuda Hospitals Board for the provision of “structured” in-house medical services for long-term care residents at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

The Citizens Reform Group long-term care committee said its proposal responded to “sustained feedback” from families and caregivers highlighting a longstanding gap in routine maintenance care — including dental, vision, hearing, podiatry and ENT triage services — which it claimed had persisted for about eight years.

It said the proposed long-term care maintenance clinic model would deliver services on-site at KEMH, using mobile clinical equipment and specialists. It added that the move would prevent the need for patients to leave a hospital setting to receive essential care.

In addition, the group said no new construction or permanent clinic space would be required since the use of existing hospital rooms and mobile equipment would be made a priority.

It said that the plan could be implemented within weeks if granted approval by the hospital.

The BHB confirmed that it had received “several lengthy proposals” from the committee.

A spokeswoman said the board had not deliberated on the proposals “which due to their nature, require extensive input and collaboration with external stakeholders”.

She added: “At BHB it’s the mission of each staff member to strive continuously to deliver the highest quality and safest care to our patients every day.”

The group said the absence of routine maintenance care had contributed to “avoidable pain, reduced mobility, preventable complications and increased reliance on emergency and acute services”.

Charles O’Brien, a CRG long-term care committee spokesman, said the group worked with the loved ones of 132 people who required long-term care at the hospital.

He explained: “What we are saying is that they should have a clinic to provide these services in-house.

“The people who require long-term care are crying out for the service.”

The committee proposed financial model estimates of an annual operating cost of about $77,500, with a one-time capital equipment investment of approximately $66,300 — equating to an operating cost of roughly $587 per resident per year.

Mr O’Brien said the costs would be shouldered by the BHB and he noted a funding proposal for the project was outlined in White and Green papers which the group submitted to the board.

He said the group was also lobbying for the provision of free television access for long-term care residents, who pay a weekly fee for the service.

The committee said families of the patients had repeatedly raised concerns about the arrangement since many patients cannot afford the fee.

Its concerns were contained in the proposal submitted to the BHB.

Over the last Christmas period, televisions were provided to long-term care patients free of charge for a limited time and the group said the effect was “immediate and notable”.

It added: “Patients were calmer, more co-operative and visibly more settled in their environment.

“Nursing staff reported fewer non-clinical interruptions and improved productivity, enabling them to direct greater attention to patient care.”

In February, David Burt, the Premier, said funding in the Budget — including a $10 million capital grant — had been set aside to support the BHB while strengthening community services, so that residents received appropriate care in the right setting.

A $302.5 million sum allocated to the Ministry of Health in the Budget will be spent on converting facilities to bring online 30 additional long-term care beds for the BHB, to be located at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute.