A three and a half-hour discussion on health care in Bermuda, yesterday focused on seniors' homes and health and safety.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome presented his budget brief which covered five areas, including community health, oral health, environmental health, the central government laboratory and administration.

The hospitals and other areas of health are scheduled to be debated this Friday for another three hours.

Yesterday, explaining the budget of $31.8 million for the health department an increase of 1.3 million from the previous year, Mr. Bascome said: "The Ministry of Health is mandated to promote and protect the health and well being of the Island's residents and assure the provision of basic health services to meet the community health care needs.

"It has primary responsibility for assuring the conditions in which individual residents, families and the community can maintain and improve their health."

For another two hours, the shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson covered the five areas giving "bouquets" but also questioning the support for Health and Safety officers.

She said: "We need to have more of them and they need to have more support. We need some legislation, some education and we can get an increase in help in that department.

"I have been told by some inspectors that it's hard to get to sites on a weekly basis like they should."

Other questions she had were about the completion of the Lefroy House — a senior's home, which she said has yet to be completed leaving many seniors without a place.

She said: "There's a shortage of beds for seniors in Bermuda. Most private homes are full so we have waiting lists. I have calls from people all the time from people who cannot get into a seniors home.

"Lefroy House is still not finished. I want to ask a question. When will that facility be finished and what is it going to be used for because there is a shortage of beds.

"Will it be like before with 11 patients?"

Mr. Bascome responded saying: "It has been a process moving forward. But keep me up to date if I am not up there before you."

But he added that the Lorraine Rest Home in Warwick would add another 10 to 15 beds.

Former Health Minister and PLP backbencher Patrice Minors said like every where else there is a problem with attracting appropriate medical staff and nursing home staff, but that the department was working on the shortage.

This, she explained, was why it was difficult to open more space in nursing homes and give needy seniors a place.

One way to do this, she said, was the introduction of a short-term replacement for nursing staff who resign at the last minute, ensuring a seamless transition.

"There has been a dialogue between immigration and the health department to have a travelling nurse. Should there be a sudden resignation would be an immediate replacement available for six months until we could secure a full-time replacement," she said.

Patricia Gordon-Pamplin asked about the numbers of falls experienced by seniors in homes, which has risen from 10 in 2006 to 2007 to 18 by 2007 to 2008.

Mr. Bascome said: "I was going to be facetious but as we are talking about seniors I will take it seriously. The population there does get older. We may have some well may die. It's the equilibrium of the patients.

"It's not about a wet floor or a broom left out. In the years before we never really recognised the slips of seniors."