BHB update on Oncology service

Wednesday 19 March 2025: Bermuda Hospitals Board today explained what is being done to stabilise oncology services following its two chemotherapy nurses being unable to work for unrelated and personal reasons.

Chemotherapy nurses are specialist nurses who are trained to give chemotherapy treatments to cancer patients. BHB has two nurses, with an additional nurse who is currently in training and still requires supervision. Recruitment has begun for additional chemotherapy nurses as the two nurses, who have provided an amazing service for many years, are close to retirement.

Chief of Nursing, Judy Richardson comments: “The sudden impact of our situation was only known on Monday. We have reached out to local partners, all of our clinical partners and nurse agencies to bring new resources to the island as soon as possible. Everyone in the oncology team is working to provide as much coverage as possible, but a significant number of chemotherapy treatments have been delayed. Patients for whom any delay in treatment will impact their outcomes, or those who have complex or specialised therapies that require chemotherapy nurse skills, will be supported in seeking overseas care. While we hope we can resume normal services in about a month, new oncology patients will also be referred overseas until we have chemotherapy nurses on island.

“We are so sorry for this impact, especially as we had just completed recruitment to fill our oncologist roles. The formal recruitment for chemotherapy nurses is ongoing with a sustainable training plan being developed with overseas affiliates. We are also exploring the recruitment of locum nurses as temporary resources as they can be organised more quickly.

“We will provide an update to the community as soon as we have secured locum resources,” Mrs Richardson adds.

BHB moves to Alert Level 3 due to capacity issues

Tuesday 18 March 2025: Bermuda Hospitals Board today upgraded its alert level to 3, with 4 being the highest, in response to growing pressure within King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, primarily driven by the number of medically fit for discharge patients causing a record number of people waiting for inpatient beds.

At one point this afternoon, 34 patients were waiting for beds. There were over 40 patients medically fit for discharge still in hospital, and all additional areas with available beds were being used.

To increase capacity, with immediate effect, two of the larger Acute Care Wing inpatient unit rooms on each floor will take two medically fit for discharge patients per room. As there are three units, this will open up six additional rooms for patients needing acute care.

The patients doubling up will be patients who are medically fit for discharge. The arrangement will impact visiting for these patients. They will be limited to one patient each at a time. Additional space in the Orthopaedic (Fracture) Clinic is already being used by four patients who are waiting for acute care beds, and available space in the children’s and maternity units are being used, as is created space in the long-term care units.

“This is an incredible pressure on our staff and hospital services,” says Acting Chief of Staff Dr Anna Neilson-Williams. “We have had to accelerate plans to increase capacity urgently today and this is helping us reduce numbers in the Emergency Department, but overall we are still under great pressure. We are grateful to our staff once again standing up to the plate. Our Emergency team has been under extreme pressure for many months, and it is being felt in our other units as they accommodate more patients.”

Chief of Nursing, Judy Richardson adds: “The community see the pressure when they come to the Emergency Department and find people being cared for on our corridors, or when they visit their loved ones in overflow units. Our staff are caring for increasing numbers of people and this is felt across clinical and support services. The changes we are making are helping us through this crisis, but in the long term we need solutions in the community for an increasing frail and elderly population.”

Acting CEO and Chief Operating Officer Preston Swan, stresses that families who are able to, must pick up their loved ones if they are medically fit for discharge.

“We understand that some people are very vulnerable and while they are medically fit for discharge from an acute care unit, they may have care or medical needs that must be in place in the community before they can leave. However, this is not all patients. We implore people who can take their loved ones home to do so. Every bed we can make available makes are big difference. There are other unwell people needing care.”

Chief of Emergency, Dr Chikezie Dean Okereke stated that the Emergency Department is currently facing unprecedented capacity issues and it is imperative that people only come to Emergency Department if absolutely necessary.

“If you can wait to see you doctor, please call and book an appointment,” Dr Okereke says. “People who experience significant trauma, have stroke symptoms, chest pains or serious bleeding etc. must come to us for care, but we ask that people with general aches, pains, or worries not requiring urgent attention to please contact their GP instead. And if you do need to come, please be aware that if your symptoms are not critical you are likely to have a long wait before you see a Physician.”

Dr Okereke stated that due to the space constraint issues, patients are advised to only attend with one person carer if absolutely necessary.”

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.