Premier Dunkley Encourages Support Of KEMH
Today [May 30] in the House of Assembly, Premier Michael Dunkley stressed the importance of supporting the ongoing redevelopment of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital [KEMH] via its “Why It Matters” campaign.
Premier Dunkley said, “I encourage Honourable Members to support the Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trusts’ “Why It Matters” campaign in support of the new acute care wing.
“We are less than four months away from opening the new acute care wing of the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, and less than one month away from the keys being handed over to BHB. You would agree that this is an exciting moment for Bermuda and its healthcare service. In September, we are going to have access to a wonderful, high quality facility where we will receive our acute care services.”
“The key handover on June 12 is the last major milestone ahead of the opening of the new wing to the public in September. It is time for us to get excited, but it is also a reality check. The key handover also marks the point at which payments commence to the private partner, Paget Healthcare Services.
“This is the people’s hospital. We will all benefit from the new wing. And our donations today will help ensure the target is met. I would urge every member of the House, and every member of the community to donate. The support of every member of this House will show the leadership that we have been elected to demonstrate.
“It is the time for each of us to stand with our hospital and take ownership of the place we go to in times of illness or after accidents. It is the time for each of us to encourage this entire community to come together in support of our hospital.”
The Premier’s full statement follows below:
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage Honourable Members to support the Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trusts’ Why It Matters Campaign in support of the new acute care wing.
Mr. Speaker, we are less than four months away from opening the new acute care wing of the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, and less than one month away from the keys being handed over to BHB.
The key handover is an important marker. It marks substantial completion of the facility and the end of major construction. It is the time when BHB can start ensuring everything is in place and working to the specifications set out at the start of the project, make sure any outstanding minor deficiencies are dealt with, start orientation and training of staff before a final clinical clean takes place and finally – in September – transferring the patients and opening services to the public.
Mr. Speaker, you would agree that this is an exciting moment for Bermuda and its healthcare service. In September, we are going to have access to a wonderful, high quality facility where we will receive our acute care services.
Acute care medical and surgical patients will be cared for in single, en-suite rooms that minimize the potential spread of infections and provide a private, comfortable place in which to heal; dialysis patients will no longer be cramped in a too-small facility; oncology patients will have more privacy and space; same day surgical patients will go through registration in a calming atrium before having surgery in modern, high-tech operating rooms; emergency patients will have a dedicated entrance and access to the diagnostic imaging services without having to be wheeled through public areas, and people going for CT, MRI or X-ray services will have private waiting areas, rather than having to sit in public corridors.
Mr. Speaker, the key handover on 12th June is the last major milestone ahead of the opening of the new wing to the public in September. It is time for us to get excited, but it is also a reality check. The key handover also marks the point at which payments commence to the private partner, Paget Healthcare Services.
As this honorable House would be aware, the Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trust has been tirelessly fundraising over the last few years to raise $40 million for the down payment. The Why It Matters Campaign run by the Trust for this purpose has raised over $30 million. Donors include individuals and companies, local groups and international business. I would like to thank every single person and company who has made a donation. Every dollar counts. But we need to help the Trust, and the hospital, to that final target. The beneficiaries of us reaching that target, after all, is every one of us, our loved ones, our families and friends.
Mr. Speaker, this is the people’s hospital. We will all benefit from the new wing. And our donations today will help ensure the target is met. I would urge every member of the House, and every member of the community to donate. The support of every member of this House will show the leadership that we have been elected to demonstrate. It is the time for each of us to stand with our hospital and take ownership of the place we go to in times of illness or after accidents. It is the time for each of us to encourage this entire community to come together in support of our hospital.
Mr. Speaker, donations can be made online. In addition, Mr. Speaker, you may wish to purchase a brick to commemorate yourself, your family or a loved one, or you can contact the Trust directly at 295-2428 to discuss a donation.
This is “Why It Matters.”
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Thought we were getting a new hospital…not just a new “wing”?
Gov must be getting worried about ultimately having to foot the bill for any shortfall. The charge might not be directly but it will sure be and but you can bet it will be in indirect charges going forward
Hospital or meat market! — it’s the place to go to if you want to die ! —- a feeling of 80% of Bermudians.
I don’t mind that the Premier is encouraging his fellow MPs to purchase those Legacy bricks or whatever they’re called – several of them are in a position to buy more than a few, so more power to them.
@ACeboy
Yes it is a new acute care wing. The entire hospital is not being rebuilt. Many of the former services will remain in the old building. The main elements of the new wing are patient care (there will only be single rooms as opposed to public and semi private that we have now, dialysis treatment and most emergency care.
What the Premier is emphasizing is that BHB is approximately $40m short in what is required to operate each year. Any shortfall will ultimately come from Government or there will be a significant reduction in services.
Look…I like you Mr. Dunkley…but supporting something that refused me a job,letting a foreigner tell me I was over qualified,(I had my own insurance by the way so that is no excuse),medicine is a thousand dollars a visit in emergancy…you wait three or four hours bleeding out….they take you to xray and the eegrunt b**** there bend your broken finger to take the xray….stating she needs to see the break…you need malpractice insurance to go there….they clamp your car tires and ask for donations…..I wouldn’t give them the time of day!
Just to correct some of the misinformation out there. The $40,000,000 was initially apart of the construction costs, not the hospitals operating budget. It is simply coincidental that the hospital’s number is the same. The Money given to the Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trust goes to the Trust not to the Hospital. The Trust then will give that money to the builders. They have raised over $30 million over 10 years towards the $40 million down payment.
Also the new acute care wing is not just rooms. It has all of the operating rooms, an emergency department that is spacious and modern with modern equipment. It will also house dialysis, oncology and diagnostic imaging of all kinds. So it is not just a wing (as someone mentioned), most treatment will be given there. Hopefully now that this is clear, more people will support the cost of constructing this wonderful new facility. Check them out google Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Trust and make a donation.