Hospital’s Acute Care Wing Opening Delayed
The Bermuda Hospitals Board today announced that acute care services will move to the new Acute Care Wing in mid-September 2014 rather than June 2014 as had been anticipated at the start of the construction project.
A spokesperson said, “The new date is due to changes in the design of the mechanical and electrical systems. These changes have resulted in a completion date 10 weeks later than anticipated when the original opening date of June 12, 2014 was set.
“Following completion, there will be three months of preparation, orientation, and training activities, after which staff, services, and patients can be safely transferred.
“The ten weeks of additional work will also be welcome news to local construction workers on the site of the new Acute Care Wing. The Point Finger Road site is Bermuda’s largest ever construction project and the current daily workforce figures there exceed 500.”
BHB President and CEO Venetta Symonds said, “Bermuda needs the new Acute Care Wing and I look forward to it opening to the public later this year. We understand the delay and had made provisions in our contract with the developers in case this happened.
“Because we had that foresight, the delay does not represent any additional cost to BHB. All additional construction costs due to the June handover date are being borne by the contractors at Paget Health Services.
“We have an excellent relationship with Paget Health Services and, despite this slight delay, great progress has been achieved. It is exciting to see the scaffolding coming down to reveal the new facility and last month we were very pleased to show the Cabinet how much had been completed inside.”
Paget Heath Services said, “We are committed to delivering Bermuda Hospitals Board with the first class facility it stipulated and which the Bermuda community deserves.
“We recognise the positive impact the new schedule has on local construction and, while we do not anticipate further significant increases in our workforce, we will continue to keep the ratio of Bermudians and spouses of Bermudians at the 60 percent level which we have maintained throughout the construction period.”
BHB Redevelopment Director James Campbell said, “We pay careful attention to ensure that the construction is meeting the prescribed international standards. It is our intention to provide the island with a premiere facility that enables the highest quality of healthcare to be afforded to the community.
“According to the contract, the completion payment and the monthly service payments will not be made to Paget Health Services until the building has been completed to the building’s specifications and to the satisfaction of the project’s independent certifier.
“Paget Health Services also has to maintain the building and the numerous mechanical and electrical systems to set performance criteria until 2044. This gives us great confidence that high quality standards are being adhered to.
“We look forward to keeping the community informed of our progress as we prepare to move in September 2014.”
The BHB Redevelopment Project originally broke ground in January 2011 and as of December 2013, over 1.6 million man hours of work had been completed.
The following list from BHB details the breakdown of workers by job type, although not all trades are on the site every day:
- BCM McAlpine management team and supervision – 36
- BCM McAlpine direct labour – 24
- General labourers and cleaners – 26
- Carpenters and form workers – 20
- Drywallers and ceiling fixers – 95
- Rubber and terrazzo flooring workers – 20
- Painters – 14
- Rebar – 6
- Steel erectors and welders – 7
- Masons – 10
- Ground workers/landscaping – 15
- EIFS Installers – 25
- Electricians including supervision – 80
- Mechanical/plumbing including supervision – 105
- Roofers – 5
- Window installers – 5
- Elevator installers – 3
- Scaffolders – 5
- Insulators – 12
- Security – 4
This is the part of the hospital for rich people only……only has a certain amout of beds!
Wrong! You are making stuff up. Why even post false information.
Every hospital has a “certain amount of beds”.
that is the dopiest statement ever.
Well it certaintly won’t let dumba$$e$ in like you lmfao…
There will be 90 single patient suites in the new Acute Care Wing. They will be designated according to medical need. Acute services of the Bermuda Hospitals Board are not rendered based on a person’s financial status.
hmmmm… how about those whose insurance does not cover private rooms? will the old rooms from the present wards still be utilised?
No.
Wrong! The whole ward is moving to the new wing. Get your facts right before sounding like an ass.
better for the project to be delayed and high quality, than rushed to be on time. also glad that these issues were discussed preemptively to avoid additional costs to bermudians
Thank the PLP for that!
Wrong! You are making stuff up. Why even post false information.
New hospital should be sold to the Green’s immediately. They know how to get things done properly….
Its time Government stood up and told us the truth about this much failed ad crazy over budget project, granted this wasn’t born on their watch we all know it was Dr Evils brainchild but they (OBA) now own it, the claims that is the largest construction project ever is just another smoke screen, oh it’ll be the MOST EXPENSIVE EVER I can assure you! this project has been a disaster from the outset with cost and time over runs that would blow your mind, with the Black and Mac element almost gone local contractors are working cost and charge and having to do the same work up to 3 times over because of management inefficiencies and ever changing plans “why it matters” only matters because they are so far out of line with budget the penalties are becoming huge.
Remember this is a hospital wing, not to be confused by the term “the new hospital” and as to Bermudagirls point, it is indeed a wing for rich overseas “medical tourists” although given the fact we travel overseas to get advanced treatment its hard to rationalize who would want to come here for any type of care. I would like to know where we are on budget, who is responsible for late and over budget payments. As importantly this wing will probably end up costing over 300 million, how much of that wing will be accessible and available to Bermudians on a regular basis. Time to put the fact out there OBA before this becomes yet another problem for you.
How stupid are you. It’s not for rich tourists. The ward I work on will be going to the new wing. The ward I work on has 30+ beds. When we go over it will be 30 beds. There will not be an old ward at the old building for the poor. The whole ward is going to the new wing. Along with the other two wards. Having a private room is more sanitary and safer for everyone. We have people that need to be isolated for whatever reasons and with them already being in a room by themselves helps.
How stupid? Stupid enough to believe the PLP,s medical tourism rant, and have you been on site to look at the medical tourism rooms? Do that then fling out insults, and if you really feel informed perhaps you can enlighten us on the financial state of the project
I have been on site. When information is needed to be given to the public it will be given. You sound like you think you know things so why not enlighten us.
A little late, no problem!!!! Looks great though.
There is no free lunch!!
10 weeks of additional work will not be cheap. The cost overrun was probably built into the original pricing. As with all loans, you probably pay for the item twice over 15 years and at least 3 times over 25 years .
Thus Bermuda will pay a total of at least $750,000,000 ($300m principal and $450m interest) for the hospital. Therefore, in the overall scheme of things, an extra 10 weeks up from will not hurt.
I hope they do make a wing in the hospital for people with Money, it will help pay for all the losers who come in with Gun Shot wounds and no INSURANCE!!!!
This project could bankrupt the government!