Budget: hospital to bring online 30 beds to ease patient flow
Funds from 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 this year, the Premier announced today.
David Burt said the existing space, that will bring 30 beds online, will “improve patient flow and ease emergency department pressure”.
It comes as the Bermuda Hospitals Board continuously struggles with space issues at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.
In the past, the BHB said that capacity constraints had their genesis in waiting lists for people needing a hospital bed climbing to record levels — because medically fit patients were not being discharged.
Mr Burt said funding for the 30 long-term care hospital beds project complemented money set aside in the Budget for infrastructure upgrades to care facilities across the island.
The Budget Statement did not include details about where the long-term care beds would be located.
The hospital also received a $10-million capital grant in the Budget, but it was not specified what for.
To meet growing long-term care needs, the Premier said the ministry will advance the rebuilding of Lefroy House with increased bed capacity and advance the Sylvia Richardson Care Facility expansion.
He said primary-care investments include refurbishing the Hamilton Health Centre, St George’s Clinic and Somerset Clinic.
The budgetary allocation for the ministry represents an increase of about $57 million, or 23 per cent, over the previous year.
“This increase reflects targeted investments to improve healthcare affordability, stabilise hospital services and advance universal health coverage,” the Premier said.
Mr Burt said the health ministry’s broader priorities for the upcoming fiscal year will focus on expanding community care, advancing universal health coverage and modernising the island’s health system.
The Bermuda Hospitals Board said it was pleased with the Government’s “concerted prioritisation of healthcare”.
A spokeswoman said: “We have a large and growing senior population and extensive chronic diseases compounded by the affordability of healthcare that impairs access for some.
“BHB is grateful for the commitment that the Government has made to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute that will help support the delivery of services.”
The board said it also welcomed investment in long-term care.
The spokeswoman added: “This is great news for the community and especially our seniors and their families.
“The capital infusion that will allow BHB to bring online 30 additional long-term care beds this year will enable us to improve internal bed flow so that medically fit for discharge patients can be transferred from the acute care wing into the KEMH general wing.
“Acute care patients who are boarding in the Emergency Department waiting for a bed can then move into the vacated acute care beds, which in turn relieves pressure on Emergency.”
The board said the move will bring improvement to the rate of transfers of patients from the hospital’s emergency department to wards.
“BHB would also like to thank the Government for their concerted effort to support our staff,” the spokeswoman added.
He said funding in the Budget will support the BHB while strengthening community services, so residents receive appropriate care in the right setting.
Mr Burt said the BHB will receive $55 million in “time-bound support” to meet statutory, contractual and operational obligations as well as to address near-term cashflow pressures.
He said hospital services “are not optional” and that the investment by the Government would ensure “continuity of care, stability for frontline staff and protection of essential services” amid longer-term reforms.
Mr Burt said advancing universal health coverage remains central, and by October all island residents will have access to health benefits.
As reported earlier, a $15-million allocation was made towards FutureCare premium subsidies for low-income seniors, which the Premier said was the partial fulfilment of a Tax Reform Commission recommendation.
While the TRC’s full recommendation was $30 million, Mr Burt said the first-phase expenditure will provide coverage support for up to 2,200 seniors — approximately 15 per cent of Bermuda’s senior population.
Mr Burt said: “This is significant as it represents the first direct deployment of corporate income tax capacity into the waterfall framework that the TRC laid out for the island.
“It targets relief where it is most needed, among seniors living on fixed incomes, and establishes the foundation for expansion in future years as fiscal space allows.”
On advanced healthcare, he said the Budget delivers on a 2025 General Election commitment by the Progressive Labour Party, with $87 million allocated to the BHB as well as the continued rollout of universal health coverage.
Mr Burt said funding will be provided for the Health Insurance Department to provide greater levels of healthcare access.
“This continues the work already under way to modernise how care is funded, delivered and accessed,” Mr Burt said.
He said $14 million will be carried forward for the department to fund the expansion of health services under HIP and FutureCare, including free annual health examinations and expanded prescription drug coverage.
In addition, he said, the department will expand preventive access with an additional number of primary care visits with set co-pays of $25.
These are practical measures that reduce financial barriers to preventive care and improve long-term outcomes, he added.
He said the ministry will also advance workforce development through extended nursing scholarships.
• To see the Budget Statement, see Related Media
• This story has been updated to correct that King Edward VII Memorial Hospital will convert space within its existing facilities to enable it to add 30 additional long-term care beds. This in turn will enable the hospital to move fit for discharge patients from acute care beds to a lower level of care. It has also deleted references to a new unit, as this is not planned.
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