Health groups have urged residents to write with any issues or concerns they have about the state of the service in Bermuda so they can be tackled while negotiations are underway.

President of the Bermuda Medical Association (BMA) Dr. Cindy Morris said she was eager to hear the views of people on the Island and said now was the best time for opinions to be voiced.

Whether the comments be critical of the service, complimentary, or questioning, she said as much input and involvement as possible was welcome.

Dr. Morris said all the health agencies on the Island, including insurance companies, doctors, Government and hospital representatives, were meeting regularly to discuss the best way forward for the service and patients.

Their aim is to implement a number of recommendations that came out of two different audits of the service, and to find solutions to ever-expanding costs of healthcare and insurance premiums.

And she spoke out after a number of claims were made through the media by both doctors and the insurance companies as to why costs have increased so much and who was to blame.

Dr. Morris said: "In my capacity as president of the BMA, I am pleased to state that the physicians, Government and health insurers of Bermuda are currently in negotiations to address many concerns brought forward over the years by the public regarding health care in Bermuda.

"The Bermuda Medical Association and the Bermuda Medical Society (BMS) are working as a team to provide expert medical input to the table. The goal is to formulate a new health care structure that would consider the future needs of the population of Bermuda.

She said she did not wish to be drawn on the arguments regarding why health care costs were escalating, and said she preferred instead to leave them to the negotiating table.

But she said she was confident that all issues could be resolved in the current re-structuring.

President of the BMS Dr. Jonathan Murray backed his colleague's call and urged anyone with a gripe, concern or question to put it in writing.

He added: "If there are any problems, I would urge people to write to us and let us know and then we can at least have it out in the open. If they don't want to write to one of the medical groups, they can write to the health ministry, instead."

Letters can be sent to Dr. Cindy Morris, Bermuda Medical Association, 75 Victoria Street, Hamilton, or to Dr. Jonathan Murray, Bermuda Medical Society, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, Point Finger Road, Paget.

Alternatively, letters can be sent to Health Minister Nelson Bascome, Health and Social Services Ministry, Point Finger Road, Paget.