His first year was filled with controversy and political wrangling, but David Hill, the CEO of Bermuda Hospitals Board says he has enjoyed it.

He was recruited by the BHB in 2006 to fill the top spot, which he took over in December 2006 and has to date overseen a range of issues.

From the selection of Kurron to help manage the hospital to the closure of the hospital's indigent medical clinic to the discovery of a secret 'Saturday Group' composed of the Premier, Minister of Health and other health chiefs, Mr. Hill could be excused for seeming tired.

And yet, when asked how his first year in Bermuda and at the helm of the BHB has been, Mr. Hill perks up and grins saying it was enjoyable.

He said: "I have enjoyed it tremendously. The welcome by everyone has been overwhelming."

What makes him more uncomfortable, however, is the discussion of the Saturday group, which has received stinging criticism from the public.

Turning away and lowering his head, Mr. Hill said he was not concerned that the BHB meetings were not held in public and the Saturday Group was a way for them to discuss with the Minister important issues.

He said: "Compared it to the UK Health Councils in the UK. Meetings for Foundation hospitals in the UK are not held in public.

"They should be in private. We are not a government body we charge for our services. That's a different organisation.

"The BHB is there (at the Saturday Group) at the request of the minister. We brief the minister regularly. It's an opportunity for us to seek the support and help of the Minister.

"We are very clear with what we want to do. It's another way for appropriate briefing."

Notes, made by the former Health Minister Michael Scott, were leaked to this paper in November last year, revealed that the Saturday Group met to discuss matters ranging from firing doctors and nurses to the release of the Johns Hopkins Report.

Also discussed, according the leaked document, was the Bermuda Health Council which was established in 2005 and which was tasked with reviewing health care in Bermuda.

One ominous line in the leaked document states: 'Take HeCo and co opt.'

These notes and the account of the meeting have been discounted by the Premier, Mr. Scott and the BHB, however, recently the Premier said the group would continue.

Since then the BHeC has changed its chairman from Michael Bradshaw to Linda Merrit, a year before his scheduled departure, and exchanged all but two of the former members for stakeholders.

One of these new members is Mr. Hill who says he and the BHB are thrilled to be part of their work.

He said: "It's extremely important for the health care system in Bermuda. It has done some excellent work up-to-date. We're happy we are part of it."

As he strives at the hospital to improve healthcare in Bermuda, Mr. Hill perks up when discussions turn to bringing in specialist doctors.

The issues had been raised by Premier Ewart Brown in July last year, saying it would help Bermudians by bringing one doctor her versus sending 20 patients away.

He said: "Discussions are going very well. People in Bermuda should be able to see specialists here in Bermuda. It gives patients in Bermuda more choice.

"It can be very stressful on families if we can avoid all of that it will be helpful. It's something we are looking to take forward."

Finally also being updated at the hospital, along with Ward improvements starting with Cooper, Perry, Gordon and Curtis, is the CT Scanner.

Until this year, the hospital was struggling with only a 1-slice scanner, which was slow and limited in the imaging it could perform.

A CT Scanner is a large, technically advanced x-ray machine. It is used to diagnose a variety of diseases and allow doctors to inspect the inside of the body without having to operate or perform intrusive examinations.

Now an 8-Slice scanner has been introduced, until the imaging process at the hospital can catch-up to the 64-Slice machine. That will then become the second 64-Slice machine on the Island.

The Premier recently opened the Brown-Darrell Clinic clinic, at the Winterhaven cottage on South Road and revealed the new $1.5 million machine.

The first floor, where the scanner is located, houses the medical facility owned by the Premier and his wife Wanda.

Brown-Darrell, in partnership with Stemedica, will operate a stem cell research and treatment unit on the second floor of the building.

Speaking about the hospital phasing in, Mr. Hill said: "That (the 64-Slice) could happen this year. It generates a lot of images. The 8-Slice is an excellent machine. It's the same quality as the 64-Slice.

On having the two machines he said: "It gives us redundancy. For more flexibility. I think the 8-Slice was something we bring in quickly. We thought it important to bring it in quickly."