A new temporary hospital hierarchy has been unveiled as the search for a new chief executive goes on.

Two current employees are to assume joint responsibility for the void left by outgoing chief executive Sheila Manderson, who leaves her post at the end of the month.

Lucille Parker will be acting chief executive for King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and Joan Dillas-Wright will take on an identical role at St.

Brendan's.

The women, who are already in similar roles, will take on the job until a new chief executive is appointed in two to three months time.

And Bermuda Hospitals Board chairman Raymonde Dill indicated that procedures are being put in place to bring both centres under central control.

The new Hospitals Board chief executive will oversee a joint management committee, comprising financial, information, chief operating officer and chief of staff.

And the ties will be strengthened further by centralised support services.

Mr. Dill confirmed that 50 applicants for Mrs. Manderson's post had now been whittled down to a short list of eight -- all of whom are from overseas.

"We do not anticipate that the succession will be in place for three months,'' he said. "The acting CEOs will be in place until that time.

"And we are asking staff to make every effort to support these people in this new responsibility, to help us ensure that our patient care is not negatively impacted during this transition.'' He added that a succession plan to find a Bermudian chief executive was still on line for two to three years time and was expected to draw from a pool of locals from the restructured management team.

Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Dillas-Wright both acknowledged the challenges ahead of them, and said that arrangements had been made to share the burden of some of their existing tasks.

Meanwhile, both King Edward and St. Brendan's will have to address issues arising out of accreditation from the Canadian Council on Health Services.

The award has been made for three years but recommendations for improving certain aspects of care and service have also been made.

"This award confirms our belief that the staff, managers and doctors are competent, skilled and function at a high level,'' said Mr. Dill.

Joan Dillas-Wright Lucille Parker