Correction to Royal Gazette story on acute care beds

Saturday 21 February 2026: Correction to references in the Saturday 21 February 2026 edition of The Royal Gazette and on royalgazette.com:

In reference to incorrect articles printed in the Saturday 21 February 2026 edition of The Royal Gazette and posted online, BHB has no plans to build a new acute care facility or add acute care beds. As BHB said in a statement provided to The Royal Gazette on 20 February, “The capital infusion that will allow BHB to bring on line 30 additional long-term care beds this year will enable us to improve internal bed flow so that medically fit for discharge patients can be transferred from the Acute Care Wing into the KEMH General Wing.”

KEMH has sufficient beds to meet the demand for acute care. However, a large number of those acute care beds are consistently occupied by patients who are medically fit for discharge and no longer need hospital care. This prevents newly admitted acutely ill patients from moving into those beds.

The capital funding announced in the Budget Statement will allow BHB to convert space within its existing facilities, adding 30 additional long-term care beds. This means patients who are medically fit for discharge can move out of the acute care units to a lower level of care. Acute care patients who are boarding in the Emergency Department waiting for a bed can then move into the vacated acute care beds, which in turn relieves pressure on Emergency.

Hyperbaric chamber unavailable until 18 February

Tuesday 10 February 2026: The hyperbaric chamber at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital will not be available for diving emergencies starting today. It is expected to reopen to divers on Wednesday 18 February 2026.

The hyperbaric team started emergency treatment today of a patient who requires a series of sessions in the chamber over the next week. As a result, the hyperbaric chamber will not be able to offer emergency dives during this period.

BHB moves to Alert Level 3 due to overcrowding

Thursday 10 July 2025: Bermuda Hospitals Board moved to Alert Level 3 today due to increasing pressure on the Emergency Department and acute care inpatient units at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

In addition to rising numbers of people seeking emergency care and increasing admissions, a large number of patients who are medically fit for discharge remain in hospital.

Chief of Nursing Judy Richardson said: “Currently, 36 patients who could be discharged are still in acute care beds, while 21 admitted patients wait in Emergency for those same beds. In some cases, there are no appropriate community placements for these patients. For others, the delay stems from a situation at home.”

Chief of Staff Dr Anna Neilson-Williams said: “Unfortunately, the people who really need the acute care beds are not receiving them. Patients boarding in Emergency are cared for by the ED team in tandem with additional nurses and a hospitalist from the inpatient units, but we recognise this is not an ideal situation for the patient, the family or the staff.”

In addition to the pressure caused by medically fit for discharge patients not vacating inpatient beds, increasing numbers of patients have been seeking care in the Emergency Department. On Monday, 115 people presented at Emergency, the highest number in a single day this year. Average attendance is 85 to 87 patients a day.

Acting Chief of Emergency Dr Ranjini Patton said: “Generally, almost half of patients who come to Emergency are low acuity, meaning they could be helped by their family doctor or go to one of the urgent care centres. We see patients in order of acuity, so those who are low acuity will wait much longer than patients who require emergency care.”

The hospital is also under additional pressure due to rising levels of COVID-19 circulating in the community. An increasing number of patients with COVID are presenting to Emergency.

“If you think you may have COVID, take an antigen test from a pharmacy,” said Dr Patton. “Please do not come to the hospital seeking COVID testing.

“If you have COVID and are very sick, contact your primary care physician for advice. If you need emergency care, call us first at 239-2009 so we can take precautions to ensure you are cared for away from other patients and visitors.”

Mrs Richardson said: “Please remember our patients are more vulnerable to infections like COVID, flu and colds. All visitors are expected to wear a mask while at the hospital to help protect patients, staff and yourself. If you are sick – even if you think you might be sick – protect our patients and staff by not visiting until you are well again.”

Paul Jones joins BHB as chief people officer

Wednesday 12 March 2025: Bermuda Hospitals Board today announced the appointment of Paul Jones as chief people officer. He is responsible for human resources, organisational development and strategy services, which previously were managed by the deputy CEO position. The deputy CEO position is no longer filled, meaning the number of executives at BHB remains the same. Mr Jones joins BHB on a five-year contract, and reports to the chief executive officer and president, Scott Pearman.

Mr Pearman comments: “I’m so pleased to welcome Mr Jones back to BHB. He has worked here previously and knows BHB and Bermuda very well. He has an excellent skill set for the challenges we face as an organisation, and relevant experience across the NHS in senior and strategic human resources leadership roles. Motivated, supported, appropriately compensated and well-trained staff deliver the best care and this is what Mr Jones will help us achieve.”

Mr Jones joins BHB following six years as chief people officer at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which employs over 11,500 staff and has 1,300 patient beds. He led the HR response to the global pandemic at the hospital, implemented succession and talent management strategies, introduced a new staff benefits package and a programme to improve the experience of staff and address long-standing concerns. This programme helped reduce employee turnover by a third and saw a 6% reduction in vacancies during his tenure.

Prior to this, Mr Jones has held senior human resources positions in the UK Government, Jersey and Qatar, as well as two previous roles in Bermuda, as the interim chief human resources officer between March 2011 and September 2012, and again between October 2014 and April 2015 as the executive advisor to a modernisation programme.

Mr Jones notes: “I’m very much looking forward to working with the Human Resources and Organisational Development teams in improving the employee experience at BHB. Like hospitals around the world, BHB has been through and continues to face many challenges. With 1,800 employees, who deliver Bermuda’s only 24/7 hospital services, the importance of making BHB a place people want to work is so important to delivering the very best services to our community.”

Originally from Liverpool, Mr Jones holds a master’s degree in international human resources management from the Bristol Business School. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He also has completed a human resource executive programme at the London Business School.