BHB Provides Update On Oncology Service
Bermuda Hospitals Board’s [BHB] oncology service has selected two new full-time oncologists, following the departure of Dr Sein Aung and Dr Chris Fosker in December.
A spokesperson said, “Dr Aung had been a full time oncologist and Dr Fosker, who was also the Director of the Oncology service, had worked part of his time at BHB, with the rest of his time at Bermuda Cancer and Health. He is now full-time at Bermuda Cancer and Health. The new appointments are currently working through immigration requirements.”
Dr Wesley Miller, Chief of Staff, comments: “We are very grateful to both Dr Aung and Dr Fosker for the wonderful service they have helped build over the last few years and the excellent care they gave. We are looking forward to the arrival of two full time specialists, however, as they will join Dr Michael Hawking in the BHB Oncology Department and there will be three full-time oncologists on island at BHB. With three full-time oncologists, rather than two full-time and one part-time oncologist, we will be able to strengthen our overall service to cancer patients, with a greater ability to service not just outpatient, but inpatient and emergency cancer care needs.
“While we await the arrival of the two additional full-time oncologists, Dr Hawking will be supported by locum oncologists, most notably Dr Christopher Price who is well known to the BHB Oncology Department and patients. During this time, our service will be under greater pressure, especially when either Dr Hawking or Dr Price are away.
“We are doing our best to ensure there is locum coverage at all times during this period and we apologise to any individuals who may wait longer than usual for their first oncology appointment. We would normally expect a newly referred patient to see an oncologist within a week or two of an oncology referral, but recently this has been longer in some cases and it is possible by the end of February that this may extend more than two weeks and up to a month. However, all new referrals will continue to be triaged with urgency, and our oncologists will facilitate a faster response or an overseas referral should a diagnosis require it.
“Patients already receiving services from the Oncology Department will continue with their planned treatments without any interruptions. We can also reassure the community that people who are referred first for diagnostic cancer tests, surgery, or other specialist consultations within BHB, such as prostate cancer referrals to the urologist, will be seen without delay.”
“We certainly are looking forward to strengthening our oncology service with three full-time oncologists in the near future, and we remain committed to ensuring patients are seen within a timeframe that provides them the best possible outcomes. A new cancer diagnosis is a very challenging and frightening experience and we will ensure care is available either here or overseas. Once the two new oncologists have completed their relocation requirements, we will share more about them and their arrival dates.”
3 Oncologists. What this island should be concentrating on is why there seems to be such a high degree of cancer here. It’s shocking to hear the amount of people who have been diagnosed and/or died from this devastating disease.
It’s the white wash on the roofs!