The health sector will have a better equipped watchdog under plans announced in the Throne Speech.

On Friday, Government announced that there would be amendments to the Bermuda Health Council Act to enable the council to become a watchdog for the healthcare sector.

Chief executive officer of the council, Jennifer Attride-Stirling, said she was looking forward to the amendments being passed as they will "tighten the remit of the health council".

"The current act gives us a lot of responsibilities and there was some conflict with what we are responsible for and what other ministries and departments are responsible for, so it will be tightened up so there is no overlap," she said.

"It will allow the council to have more focus on areas such as monitoring health insurance companies, licencing health companies and assessing health care services.

"I am looking forward to the amendments. When I came in as Acting Director in December I was an advocate for the changes and strengthening the remit of the Health Council."

The original act was so wide, she said, that it made it hard for the council to focus in on certain areas. For example, the council was originally given the responsibility to promote health.

However Dr. Attride-Stirling said: "That should not be our area of responsibility, educating the public to avail of health services is, but not to promote health."

In the Throne Speech, the Governor Sir Richard Gozney also announced that the Ministry of Health planned to devise "a National Health Strategy to provide a framework within which all projects and policies will fit". Little additional information was given on the strategy and more is expected to be announced next week.

The first national health strategy was launched in 2006, known as Well Bermuda, which included health promotions such as healthy eating habits among other things.

The Governor added that there would be amendments to the Public Health Act to align it with best practice in patient safety and modern public health principles and amendments to the Nursing Act.