Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson has questioned how serious Government was about plans to set up mini-hospitals after pointing out there was no mention of the plans in the 2006 and 2007 Throne Speeches or the recent budget.

On Monday Premier Ewart Brown announced a plan to build an urgent care centre in St. David's but Mrs Jackson said there was not even a planning application for the facility.

Mrs. Jackson dismissed the promise as pure electioneering. She said: "It has no more credibility than his announcement of a new hotel for St. George's.

"It is one more example of scattershot promises that has become the hallmark of Dr. Brown's 2007 campaign — announcements out of thin air to serve a political purpose, not a people purpose."

Mrs. Jackson said the announcement is not tied to any comprehensive health plan for the island. "We are unaware of any professional medical consultative process leading to today's announcement.

"The citing and scope of medical services should never be made by politicians, and so we ask the question: On whose advice is the Premier acting? One hope it's not his pollster."

The Opposition are also sceptical about the Premier's $5 million price tag for the facility.

"Construction of a new hospital building, the purchase and installation of equipment, ambulance and staff training — all for $5 million — is almost laughable in Bermuda today. Who can believe it?"

She said the UBP is not against the idea of care centres clinics but the focus needed to be on KEMH.

"It's falling down around our ears. It is totally irresponsible of this Government to establish clinics and leave KEMH swinging in the breeze.

"To now announce the launch of new clinics when KEMH is in the midst of a management crisis requiring the full attention of the government is irresponsible in the extreme."

But Premier Ewart Brown hit back last night and said: "Urgent care centres have been part on my healthcare vision for Bermuda for many years.

"As far back as October 19, 2006, in a speech widely covered in the local press, I called for the establishment of urgent care centres on both ends of the island. I reiterated that vision about a month ago in a speech delivered on October 24, 2007.

"Additionally, when I worked as a physician in California, I helped develop satellite urgent care centres in the city of Los Angeles. That was 20 years ago.

He said for Mrs. Jackson to suggest the issue is somehow new or 'out of thin air' sounds a lot like politicking. "Similarly the Bermuda Hospitals Board has long envisioned satellite care centres as part of its estates plan, as pointed out by The Royal Gazette last year.

"If Mrs. Jackson hopes to one day be a healthcare visionary in our country she should first become better informed.

"The Bermuda Hospitals Board supports this plan, our overseas partners support this plan, the Government supports this plan, the people at the east and west ends of our island support this plan, the Minister of Health supports this plan and I support this plan.

"So if Mrs. Jackson says she is in support of this plan too, then what's the problem, why the grandstanding in the press?"