The Bermuda Hospitals Board new communications manager Ana-Maria Critchley has pledged to uphold the BHB mandate of transparency for the Island?s hospitals both internally and externally.

The BHB has been using professional public relations firm Troncossi Public Relations for the past year. With Troncossi?s contract drawing to a close, however, the board made the move to create an in-house position to deal with public relations for the Island?s hospitals.

?We are delighted to have an in-house communications expert,? BHB CEO Joan Dillas-Wright said.

?Ana-Maria?s diverse experience in healthcare communications will be essential as the BHB continues to move forward with its commitment to open, consistent communication with our staff and various audiences in the community.?

Mrs. Critchley, who moved to Bermuda in March with her Bermudian husband, previously worked with an international communications agency in Toronto, Canada. Her clients included healthcare industry giants such as Pfizer Canada and GlaxoSmithKline. Also fluent in Romanian, Mrs. Critchley will be managing internal relations at the hospitals, ensuring open two-way communication with staff.

?Right now I?m in a period of assessing and listening to figure out a strategic way of approach,? she said.

Externally she will be keeping the public updated on the hospitals. ?They touch each and every one of us. I will be making sure we can get information to groups in the community that need it. There are lots of different stakeholders, so I have to make sure we are open, transparent and accessible.?

That will include news about patient care and financial accountability, she added. ?There are a lot of good things happening here.?

She will be working with Troncossi until its contract is up next month, she said.

?We have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Bermuda Hospitals Board and helping them to improve their communications over the past year,? Troncossi?s Liz Tee said.

?I think they have found that using a professional public relations firm has really highlighted the benefit of communicating effectively with their various audiences.

?We congratulate Ana-Maria on her appointment and look forward to possibly working with her in the future.?

Mrs. Critchley?s role will not include communications for the newly-founded Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trust (BHCT), formed independent of the BHB to concentrate on fundraising efforts.

A graduate of the University of Toronto and Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology, Mrs. Critchley said she was happy to be joining the BHB at such an exciting time.

?I?m very happy to be here, it?s an exciting time. There?s going to be lots of communication going forward. I?m just looking forward to playing a key role in it.?