Scores of angry back pain sufferers have banded together to prevent the Bermuda Medical Society from shutting down the only musculo-skeletal practice on the Island.

The practice, which is operated by Irish orthopaedic specialist Dr. Tom Moore, faces closure as a result of the Society's decision not to sponsor a renewal of Dr. Moore's work permit, which expires in January.

There are currently only two doctors in Bermuda who perform the kind of orthopaedic manipulations that many of the Island's chronic neck and back pain sufferers say they require.

The other specialist is Dr. Annabel Carter, who works on a "limited'' work permit out of sports physician Dr. Caroline Hammond's Victoria Street office.

"It's a blatant conflict of interest,'' patient Mr. Eldon Trimingham said of the Society's decision. "The regular medical practitioners say they object to the risk of misdiagnosis (by orthopaedic specialists), but it's the business they're losing that raise the objections.'' Added Mr. Stephen Barton, who sought treatment for a pinched nerve from Dr.

Moore: "Musculo-scientific medicine and Dr. Tom Moore are valuable additions to Bermuda's medical circle...His purpose is to alleviate pain and to comfort and heal. The BMS has no idea what that even means and simply wish to ensure that their pockets continue to be lined with gold.'' Mrs. Penny Sampson, who found "relief'' from her chronic lower back pains under Dr. Moore's care, is one of "20 to 30'' other patients who have mobilised to either secure the doctor a new permit or at least keep the practice open.

Dr. Moore took over the practice after his predecessor, Briton Dr. John Tanner, had his own work permit revoked three years ago. The practice is owned by the Society, a source told The Royal Gazette .

"The Medical Society has claimed that there are six people on the Island who provide this type of care, but that's not true,'' Mrs. Sampson said.

"Four of them are orthopaedic surgeons and none of those four do manipulations. They simply provide injections and anti-inflammatory drugs.'' She added: "Once (Dr. Moore and Dr. Carter) go, there is absolutely no one else. What about our basic rights as patients?'' The question of the availability of certain medical services has always been a contentious issue among Bermudians who resent the fact that they must travel to such places as the US and Canada to undergo certain treatments.

One of the protesting patients said yesterday: "I've heard that (Bermudian) doctors object to a foreign doctor staying more than three years on the grounds that after that time a bonding occurs. But what does `bonding' mean? Confidence? I think that's a very real question we should be asking ourselves.'' While many of the patients have a loyalty to Dr. Moore and would like him to stay on the Island, they say that securing him a work permit is not their primary goal.

"We're not fighting for him to stay,'' said the Paget man who is spearheading the campaign. "We're fighting to keep this practice.'' Added Mrs. Sampson, who stressed that Dr. Moore has had nothing to do with the campaign: "What we want is someone who has been approved by either the Musculo-Skeletal Society of Great Britain or the Orthopaedic Society of the US. We want to make sure that whoever replaces Dr. Moore is well-qualified and not someone who was just brought in by the Medical Society to placate us.'' Dr. Moore, who also maintains an orthopaedic practice in Dublin, declined to comment to The Royal Gazette yesterday. His secretary said he felt that doing so would be "inappropriate.'' A call to Medical Society president Dr. Ian Fulton went unanswered.