The coming closure of the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre in St David’s has drawn mixed reviews from members of the public.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) announced this week that the $7.8 million facility, which first opened its doors in 2009, will close on November 29.

An executive summary of the business case, released by the BHB, revealed that the centre lost between $100,000 and $350,000 every year since its opening due in part to the high cost of salaries and benefits. On average, the site had around 14 patient visits per day, typically involving minor illnesses or injuries.

Following the announcement, St George’s resident Sean Thomas said: “It was handy having something in the area, but until something big happens it’s hard to see how important it is. We’ve been lucky with the storms for the last few years, but if a big one comes next year we’re going to be praying for that place to reopen.

“It may seem expensive now, but it’ll be a lot more expensive if there’s a disaster and it’s not there.”

Jamie Adams meanwhile said: “It’s disappointing, but if it’s losing that much money every year, that’s not good.

“I don’t think that making money should be the focus of healthcare in general, but if nobody’s using it you have to wonder why we’re putting our money into it.”

And a St David’s resident, who asked not to be named, said while people did attend the facility not all of them were from the East End.

“I know people who came from Somerset to go to the centre,” he said. “It was quicker than the hospital for a lot of things. If you wanted to get an X-ray done, you could be waiting for hours at the hospital. It was actually a convenience to come all the way up here.

“Obviously there are times when having something up here is important. I hope that they can do something with it when the bridge is down or when there’s an emergency.”

A BHB spokeswoman said yesterday they have also received anecdotal information about patients travelling from outside the eastern parishes to attend the facility, but the total patient numbers were simply too low to sustain the service.

“The short wait times were directly related to the fact that not enough people utilised the urgent care service,” she said. “The BHB will be working closely with Government and other healthcare partners to encourage its continued use as some sort of healthcare facility.”

Online, the announcement had a similar response. Some commenters on The Royal Gazette website said the move was understandable given the lack of patients, while others said the health of the public should come before financial concerns.

‘Inquiring Minds’ wrote: “While I understand the issues of cutting costs I have one important question — how much is one life worth? This facility probably needs better management but the facility has been invaluable for many of us who have either attended ourselves or had to rush a loved one to receive care.”

Jordan Lamb meanwhile wrote: “What a waste of money! There is probably very little market for a medical practice that far in the east. Who wants to drive St David’s to get a physical? However, the building is fairly new and it would be a shame to waste such a beautifully built government financed structure.”

Health Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin said that while the care of the community is a priority, the history of patients at the facility indicated the public could be served equally well by the emergency department or general practitioners.

However PLP MP Lovitta Foggo called the cut in services a blow to the St David’s community, questioning the lack of public consultation on the issue.