A doctor who was forced to retire from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital because of his age, has called for a comprehensive health care plan to be set up for Bermuda's elderly.

The suggestion was one of ten recommendations Dr. George McPhee shared with Hamilton Rotarians yesterday at their weekly luncheon at Pier Six night club on Front Street.

Dr. McPhee was the physician-in-charge of the hospital's Extended Care Unit until his 70th birthday more than a year ago.

He then lost his privilege of admitting patients to hospital -- sparking a protest petition by Bermudians who claimed he was a victim of age discrimination.

And yesterday Dr. McPhee -- who has maintained that he is in good mental and physical health and fully capable of continuing his work -- stressed that there was "a crisis in eldercare in Bermuda''.

"Our community has a very serious and major problem that I must bring to you today and solicit your help,'' he said. "...Families are crying out for help.'' Noting that the number of residents in the 65 years old-plus category were growing more rapidly than any other age group, Dr. McPhee said "it is reasonable to say that our health care resources have not kept pace with the natural and relentless increase in demand for health care services for seniors.'' And he pointed out that home care for the elderly was often not an option because of the lack of extended families and the caregivers who have to work, leaving no one at home to look after them.

As a result, Dr. McPhee added, a great many were admitted to the hospital as "social admissions'' and there was a backlog of patients in hospital waiting to be discharged.

He also noted that the cost to the hospital was "tremendous'' for patients who remained there only because there was no place to go.

"It was determined that at one time about 25 percent of the patients in the ECU (Extended Care Unit) do not need skilled nursing care, and could be transferred home,'' he said.

Referring to the 1996 Health Care Review Report, he said $4.9 million was spent to house people who were unnecessarily admitted to the hospital in 1993.

Today, he added, it was approximately $5.4 million.

Dr. McPhee said in addition to a comprehensive health care services plan, the following might help to solve the problem: Identify and expand the community support services; Develop more home care services; Health care services for seniors at breaking point Provide more opportunities for holiday relief so that caregivers can get a break and avoid burn-out; Increase provisions for day care; Seek to provide health insurance for long-term care; Provide financial help for caregivers; Encourage upgrading and training of staff and improvement of rest homes; Develop new and innovative programmes to meet specific needs; and Develop an intermediate care facility or facilities for those who do not need skilled nursing care.

While stressing that some of the Island's facilities for the elderly were "totally inadequate'', Dr. McPhee praised the trustees of Westmeath Rest Home on Pitt's Bay Road, Pembroke, for taking a "bold step in helping to meet the challenge of this alarming crisis in our community.'' HEALTH HTH