Government is attempting to improve healthcare in Bermuda by holding a Health Summit next year to solicit ideas.

The summit will be held in March 2005 with the theme: ?Expanding the Collaborative Borders of Healthcare in Bermuda.?

At a press conference held yesterday Health Minister Patrice Minors said that one of the more important topics that will be covered is the quality of services affecting seniors.

She added: ?We will look at issues that affect our seniors and other groups who need equal protection, so that they can have their health needs met by our healthcare system.

?The objectives are to apprise to participants of the status and cost of healthcare in Bermuda and to foster a more collaborative approach with our partners to address health issues in the country.?

Local and overseas experts from the healthcare field are expected to participate in the summit.

She said that the summit will be an opportunity for stakeholders and decision makers in the healthcare industry to forge ahead with a common vision for the future of healthcare in Bermuda.

Before the summit a pre-summit town hall meeting will be held early next year involving a panel discussion, said Ms Minors.

The Ministry of Finance will also be hosting the summit and Finance Minister Paula Cox said yesterday that some topics to be discussed are: collaboration and fundamental objectives of a health system, the role of key health care partners, balancing cost and services, social responsibility of a health system, financing health care, and the role of prevention in health care.

Ms Cox said: ?A Health Summit steering committee consisting of private and public sector working representatives has been busy planning this event since late July.

?It is anticipated that Bermuda?s first ever Health Summit will be the start of the development of an entirely new model for the management of the health industry through a public-private sector working relationship, sharing the responsibility for its development,? she said.