Regular readers of Royal Gazette editorials will already know very well that this newspaper is often sceptical about institutions that change their names.

Often name changes are aimed at changing perceptions about a particular group or institution. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but the change of name must be accompanied by a real change in attitude or policy.

That's why this newspaper was concerned about plans to change the names of Government-owned middle schools, and it's why it is also sceptical about "new" anythings, whether it is a "New Bermuda" or the "New united Bermuda Party".

What people want to know is not what the new name is, but what's new about the institution, party or school. If hanging the name is all that is going to happen without meaningful changes within, then please, don't bother.

For that reason, this newspaper is reserving its judgment on the the change of name of St. Brendan's Hospital to the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute.

There is no question that there is an historic and often unfair stigma attached to St. Brendan's, as there is with any hospital that deals with mental illness.

A good case can be made that perceptions about mental illness and impairments have changed dramatically in the last couple of decades. It is now increasingly seen as an illness that can be treated and the evidence is clear that people who half a century ago would have been locked away in a "looney bin" are now able to lead functional lives, often outside of an institutional setting.

It is fair to say that St. Brendan's has changed as well. That begs the question of whether a name change was required at all.

What is important is that the staff and administrators of the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute continue to keep up with changes and advances in the mental health field and ensure that all of Bermuda's people are cared for.