Photos & Video: KEMH Holds Ribbon Cutting
[Updated with video & photos] Crowds of people gathered today [Sept 10] to celebrate the official ribbon cutting ceremony of the new acute care wing at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital [KEMH], with Premier Michael Dunkley and Minster of Health Jeanne Atherden on hand.
The acute care wing will officially open to the public Sunday, September 14 at 12.01am, standing as the culmination of a long period of planning, construction, and fundraising.
The Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging, Dialysis, Oncology, and five surgery theaters, as well as three wards on three floors totaling 90 beds, will be housed in the new wing.
Construction of the Acute Care Wing was financed partly via the Bermuda Hospitals Board’s “Why It Matters” campaign, which sought donations from businesses and members of the public in order to see the project brought to life, with over $30 million raised so far.
A recently released video highlighted the long history of the hospital, focusing on both the people who have made its good works possible, and the many different physical shapes its facilities have taken over the years, leading up to the construction of the acute care wing.
After providing its historical overview, the video goes on to showcase the most recent renovations and construction of the Acute Care Wing, giving viewers a chronological look at its progress, ending with a view of the finished product as of September 2014.
23-minute video of the official opening:
Update 2.25pm: Speaking at today’s event, Premier Dunkley said, “The opening of the Acute Care Wing will provide Bermudians for generations to come access to a facility that supports the most modern technology and upholds the highest standards of medical care.”
The Premier’s full statement follows below:
One of the most important missions of the Bermuda Government is to make sure Bermudians have access to the best possible health care and to make sure our health system meets people’s needs as they arise. Today marks a very important milestone in the fulfillment of that mission.
The opening of the Acute Care Wing will provide Bermudians for generations to come access to a facility that supports the most modern technology and upholds the highest standards of medical care.
This is a project that has been years in the making. It has taken the commitment and skills of a great many people to see it through to completion, and so I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation and thanks to them:
- Government Ministers and Civil Servants
- Members of the Bermuda Hospitals Board and its administrative staff
- Architects and project managers
- Construction workers
- Medical practitioners and hospital staff
Everyone who worked to this project has contributed to the future well being of Bermuda.
And to the clinical and support staff who have trained in the latest processes and standards to make this facility work for the people who need their assistance and care; you represent the best of Bermuda and we wish you the best going forward. My final thank you is to the BHCT and hundreds of donors who have supported this project through the fund raising effort, without your commitment this would not be possible.
This was a complex project requiring the coming together of many disciplines to create something for the benefit of the whole community; for all of Bermuda.
It stands as an example of how Bermudians can come together to work together to move the Island forward. Each and everyone should be proud of the role you have played. This is clearly a good day for the people of Bermuda, because we have built something special, we have built it together for the benefit of each other. It represents a genuine community effort.
This is our hospital. It is here to help you, your loved ones and your community; and it was made possible by many fine, dedicated people. On behalf of the Government of Bermuda, thank you for the good work.
In closing it is up to all of us to make it work for our island and people. We must maintain the physical plant now and into the future, we must keep our standards of care at the highest level and we must ensure that the facility is financially sustainable.
Thank you.
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Click to enlarge photos:
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Where’s Zane, it was/is his “debt”? On another note, now let’s pay for this “new wing”
He should of been invited! UBP/OBA claimed prior to election they would shut down CITV and others things, but get there on point for picture taking? Bermuda Wake up!
Zane DeSilva was there.
Bermuda awoke on December of 2012!
That’s Great, so does this mean we don’t have to go to Lahey Clinic and Bringham and Women Hospital any more ?
Ummm ….no
A new building doesn’t easily restore poor confidence in the KEMH. If given a choice I’ll always opt not to go to KEMH.
I see now they’ve inserted a slide show and by God! they do have our former Health Minister (P.L.P.) Zane DeSilva in the 18th photo, also a couple others from the P.L.P.were present.
Bernews I thank you for that…
Proudly standing out front of the hospital they all cried down.
Amazing – were the shadow members not invited for the photo op?
Friends and family I see a mp wife – what they know about health care?
Does it even make sense anymore, I have become so downbeat with this government and their double talk, deception and contradiction..
Oh stop your deception…you have long been promoting the PLP and stomping on the OBA.
Good, then get out of the way of progress!
Bet you can’t provide one shred of proof they they ‘cried down’ the need to upgrade the hospital.
And what the hell did a construction boss know about health care and why didn’t you ask the question two years ago?
That’s funny since I see Foggo, Desilva, Weeks, former Premier Scott, Lister et al in those pics.
Now I am assuming an apology will be forthcoming? Silly me.
And you guys talk about the OBA having paid bloggers? PUH!
prolly more then you know about healthcare ya dummy. jump off a bridge…
I don’t believe my eyes. Can we say media lovers?
There was a mix of both OBA and PLP there, senators and former MPs.
The pictures you see above do not include all of pictures taken. There are other official pictures that include current and former MP’s (from both the Government and the Opposition), Ministers of Health etc.
In the speeches given the former Government and Ministers of Health (including Zane DeSilva and the late Nelson Bascome)were thanked for the roles they played in bringing the project to Bermuda.
It’s surprising someone hasn’t claimed there were 3,000 people there. That’s normally what happens when 150 people turn up at something.
Don’t worry, Zane was there getting his picture taken too! Of course tomorrow he will be complaining about something about the place….
I wonder who will pop up on Thursday / Friday this week from the PLP
We haven’t heard from flip flop in a while so in sure it’s his turn.
For a party/government that preaches collaboration and working together, surely the Shadow Health Minister or the Opposition Leader could have been invited to the grand opening of Bermuda’s only hospital.
He was there as well as others.
Question for you, did the PLP invite any Opposition members when they opened the only police headquarters and court building? If not, do you think that was appropriate?
Dunkley shows up for more photo ops than the dictator of north korea! I would not be surprised if Dunkley showed up for the opening of an envelope.
@JimBob—-lmaoHAHAHAHAHAHHAhhahahahahhaha photo ops , there for opening envelope!!!Pricelesshahahahhahahhahahhahahahhahahha
…and if he didn’t show up you’d have something to say about that. Tired of people only looking for the negative. We’ve become a people that sit with both barrels loaded waiting for the opportunity to unload. It’s getting old…
I feel you on that one. It has become extremely boring. But empty vessels make the most noise as they say.
you can hardly even see the Minister of Health performing any tangible role in the opening. Dunkley sure loves the spotlight doesn’t he?
Just like another Premier, (Ewart Brown) we had a few years ago in’it?
Minister Atherden had as much time on stage as the Premier. Give up the stupid stuff, please.
The Premier’s matching tie and shorts is so 1980′s.
It’s certainly unlike the PLP years. The would never wear shorts. Always a $3,000 suit.
New buildings do not improve healthcare or clinical outcomes. The new wing will now have fewer ER bays than the old ER dept, as the hospital had counted on the emergency facilities being open in the west and east ends as well as GP ‘s being open longer hours. The ICU is still in the old building which means the sickest of all the islands patients will now need to be transported back to the old building along a long corridor on a stretcher! The dialysis unit now relies on an elevator, the new operating theatres forgot to add a pre-surgical room for administration of pre meds etc, ( you will now be wheeled directly into the theatre). There are now massively increased running costs for staff and utilities, massive additional monthly rental payments of 2.5 million per month, the all single room fees that will now be levied upon patients, as many do not have policies that cover a single room. All this in an environment where healthcare costs are out of control. Why was this project ever, ever given the green light. I remember reading about ” medical tourism”, it looks as though the new wing was perhaps intended for that? then someone finally realized that medical tourism was a non starter, so the concept was changed. Why else would there be so many problems with the layout and funding. It makes no sense to have done what has been done. There has to be another reason. There are the same number of patients in Bermuda, there are no extra beds, this is how the hospital makes its noney. Yet we are being told that insurance billing has to go down…..so how is KEMH going to NOT be bankrupt.
Medical Tourism was a big issue of the PLP under the Premiership of Dr. Brown. Now it is never mentioned. Perhaps medical tourism is big business, but handled by a clinic rather than KEMH?
It certainly is odd that medical tourism isn’t one of the new businesses called for by the PLP of today to add to sea bed mining; on line gambling; taxing aircraft flying over Bermuda; cannabis cafes and such like.
Response from Bermuda Hospitals Board Public Relations
• Physical environment does impact healthcare and clinical outcomes. And there has also been training and orientation in the new facility to ensure the quality of our operations meets the high standards of the environment.
• There are ample rooms in the ER to meet the anticipated need.
• ICU will remain in the General Wing as it was fully renovated in 2004. The distance between the ICU and the Acute Care Wing while longer is well within international healthcare standards.
• Dialysis patients will access service via elevator. In the unlikely event of an elevator failure, stair access will be made available.
• New processes have been implemented in the surgery department. They were planned.
• All insured patients will be fully covered for their hospital room, irrespective of whether they have private, semi-private or public ward insurance. No additional fee will be levied on any insured patient. Uninsured patients will be billed at the standard hospital benefit rate.
If you have a concern about the Acute Care Wing please contact BHB Communications Department by emailing: public.relations@bhb.bm. BHB has responded to this post in the interest of patient safety.
I was there and I was struck by how all the MPs from both sides were shaking hands with each other, cracking jokes, laughing, generally having a great old time as if they were the best of friends. Well except Lovitta Foggo. She didn’t move from her seat.
The entire thing creeped me out.
I am not sure how to reply to “hen bird ” but the rest of the posts are just ..forgive me crap. … I spent 122 weeks on this project, first as a mechanic. . Then ended up running my own sphere.. we as I always say are just installers to the designers drawings and designs.. is the new WING perfect. .far from from it. But I for one am proud of the part that I played in it.. and am sure the rest of the guys that worked there as well..
So let me get this correct. You’re proud of something that you took part in and by your own admission is far from perfect? Let’s just pause for a moment there……
@ Jim bob: I agree, enough said
Maybe them that “played a roll” are content because they’re the only ones to profit from this expensive / over budget project?
Jim bob, you have absolutely no clue as to what went on there so there’s no way you would understand what the labor crews went through to get this job done. But since you have something to say why don’t you tell us how you would have made it better.
Look…let me know when your dispencery has marinol….I am in need of a proper anti inflamitory.
at $2.5Million dollars per month that is $30Million per year.
and the younger GENERATION will only have to pay this for the “NEXT” (30) years.
Jim Bob, yes I am proud of what I did, I have been doing construction here for over 30 yrs,in Bermuda, luckly I was not involved with the Berkley debucle.. but for the ACW to say we had a few design issues would be the understament of the year..or years… but what my guys and I produced is first class..
Dunkley definitely loves the camera
Conveniently he is getting paid for all this exposure