An international company has expressed interest in funding a new nursing home for the Island's seniors.

Health and Social Services Minister Clarence Terceira last night made the revelation while responding to a speech by Andrew Martin, Chairman of the Friends of Hospice.

Last week Mr. Martin urged Government to start recognising the medical needs of the elderly.

And he told Hamilton Lions that a home care service for both the elderly and terminally ill should be organised as soon as possible.

Mr. Martin said: "The Health Care Review Report is 18 months old and nothing has been done to address its urgent recommendations.'' He was referring to the report led by independent senator Alf Oughton back in May, 1996.

The Health Care Review Report included suggestions that immediate action be taken to expand the Hospital Insurance Programme, the Bermuda Health Plan be stretched to cover retirees, the regulation of health care fees, and the coverage of home care services be listed in insurance benefits.

"What a pity Mr. Martin didn't do a little research first,'' Dr. Terceira said last night. "He would have been better informed for his speech.'' And Dr. Terceira said that Mr. Martin's claim about a lack of action, regarding the report's recommendations, was false.

He said: "The Ministry has been reviewing the Oughton Report on Health Care and implementing recommendations where practicable on a continuing basis and will continue to do so.

"We set up a task force to look at the Rest Homes/Nursing Homes in detail and on an individual basis,'' he said. "As a result of this we have raised the assistance per diem per person by almost 25 percent.'' However, Dr. Terceira admitted that per day assistance for nursing homes will "obviously'' have to be higher.

And he revealed that he had met with an international firm to discuss care for the elderly.

Dr. Terceira said the foreign company was interested in funding a new nursing home.

But the talks are still in the early stages and no commitment has been made.

Regarding at home care for the elderly Dr. Terceira said: "Government doubled the financial assistance for home care from $600 per month to $1,200 per month. This has had the immediate effect of some elderly people going back to their own homes from a Nursing Home.'' And he said that the Hospital Board had instituted a pilot programme of home care to assess the daily requirements.

Dr. Terceira also said that the Hospital Board and his Ministry had received a preliminary report from the hired Health Care consultants from the Arthur Andersen Company. The final report should be turned in by the middle of January.

"Mr. Martin could have had a more informed speech if he had just made a phone call first,'' he added. "However I am grateful for his help in raising the profile of Health Care for the elderly.

"I also wish to thank him for his continuing efforts as Chairman of the Friends of Hospice.'' BUSINESS BUC HEALTH HTH