After 40 years experience in the health field Joan Dillas-Wright is more than a little excited at becoming CEO of the Bermuda Hospitals Board.

But despite a slew of qualifications and some insiders saying she should have been given the post years ago, Mrs Dillas-Wright could be in the post just two years.

Although Patrice Dill was originally in the frame for the post, she declined to become CEO-designate so the search must begin again for a long-term successor.

Mrs. Dillas-Wright said: "The board will appoint a sub-committee to re-look at the succession plan. At the moment I have a contract for two years.

"I am very excited about the challenge of running the hospitals. I love the hospital and staff and I really, really like the board."

First on Mrs. Dillas-Wright's list is sorting out the hospital's financial problems.

In February the Bermuda Hospital Board (BHB) announced bills for operations were set to rise and overtime had to be slashed as it dealt with a huge financial crisis with millions owed by uninsured people.

Mrs. Dillas-Wright declined to list the scale of the debt but she said BHB had a tight budget of $160 million, including $26 million for St. Brendan's, for this financial year.

"We had to have some restrictions but in no way does it impact on the quality of care which is number one."

She said staff were more flexible about their shifts while managers were learning to re-deploy staff to where the need was greatest.

And the hospital still hopes to push ahead with capital projects. First up will be the relocation of the Intensive Care Unit in the next six months.

It will be moved back to the cardiac wing from the emergency ward with the likelihood of extra beds or equipment.

The morgue is also likely to be revamped to make it more pleasant for bereaved families.

"We want an area where they can sit comfortably."

She said a newly-independent quality committee would monitor care delivery more carefully.

"It won't be subsumed under other services. That should make a really big difference."

More concentration on succession plans, training and exchange programs will be brought in, said Mrs. Dillas-Wright, who benefited from experience at a variety of London hospitals during her career which also saw her hold top posts here, including Director of Nursing and acting CEO in 1999.

"I would like to see more opportunities for Bermudians to pursue nursing."

Those who find it difficult to get trained because of family commitments can now study for part of their associate degree in Bermuda at Bermuda College in a link with Hampton University.

"Succession planning is not just for the CEO position. It's taking place throughout the organisation."

Staff are always given the chance to fill in for seniors when they are on vacation said Mrs. Dillas-Wright.

"Government has a number of programmes where they train people. We have to tap into that. I would like to see more of that."

Links with the corporate world for management training will also be fostered. "The banks have excellent programmes. There's insurance. There are a number of different ones."

International accreditation will also be worked on for various hospital departments.

After setting up a mental health community services at St. Brendan's using staff who picked up training overseas she has seen the value of international exchanges.

"I would like to see some of our nurses have an opportunity to spend time overseas in a facility where they can learn.

"We need to do more of those exchange programmes."