FIL Limited crowned the 10th Corporate Blood Drive Winner

Wednesday 14 June 2023: Bermuda Hospitals Board today congratulates FIL Limited for winning the 10th Corporate Blood Drive. The annual competition included 16 local companies. The competition has every blood donation from an employee or an employee’s friends and family count towards each company’s total.

The winner’s trophy was presented to FIL Limited by Minister of Health the Hon. Kim Wilson JP MP, Chief Medical Officer Dr Ayoola Oyinloye, BHB CEO & President Dr Michael Richmond, Chief of Staff Dr Wesley Miller, and the Bermuda Blood Donor Centre team.

Minister Wilson congratulated the winner and thanked all companies who had been a part of the 10 year competition. “This friendly competition has helped save countless lives in Bermuda. Whether the companies won or not, every donation has made a difference. Truly, every company who has been a part of the competition over the last ten years has helped their employees share the gift of life, and share regularly.”

The sixteen competing companies in this year’s competition were: Ascot Bermuda Limited, Aspen, Axis, Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service, Bermuda Airport Authority, Bermuda Monetary Authority, Butterfield and Vallis, Conduit Reinsurance, Fidelity, Fortitude Re, Freisenbruch, Hiscox, Ministry of Public Works, Renaissance Re, Rosewood Tucker’s Point and Sun Life.

Dr Eyitayo Fakunle, consultant haematologist, commented: “As we celebrate the remarkable milestone of our tenth competition, the Corporate Blood Drive stands as a testament to the steadfast spirit of giving. Year after year, the unwavering support of companies in the competition has been instrumental in preserving our blood supplies and safeguarding lives in Bermuda. It helps us deliver about 2,000 transfusions per year through local, voluntary blood donations. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the participants and reserve special congratulations for FIL for achieving the top position in the competition.”

Lucy Correia, nurse phlebotomist at the Blood Donor Centre, expressed her gratitude, saying: “We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the generous donors and the companies that support us. We want to encourage more companies to consider joining us, as it fosters unity and boosts morale. Each donation has the power to positively impact up to three individuals in Bermuda. There is no greater way to demonstrate support for our community.”

Katrina Nusum, FIL deputy head of office, commented: “At FIL we are deeply committed to supporting blood donations. We must thank our colleagues who have enthusiastically embraced this cause by generously donating blood throughout the year. We acknowledge the bravery it took for some to overcome their initial apprehensions and step forward as donors. Today, they have become regular contributors, demonstrating their unwavering dedication to this important cause. We look forward to competing again next year and retaining the trophy.”

Donors are encouraged to book an appointment with the Bermuda Blood Donor Centre. As a reminder, BHB recently changed its guidelines for people who spent time in the UK, France and certain other countries between 1980 and 1996. (https://bermudahospitals.bm/welcome-back-uk-blood-donation-rule-has-changed/)

Companies wishing to join in the friendly competition should email blood.donation@bhb.bm or call 236-5067.

Welcome back! UK blood donation rule has changed

Monday 5 June 2023: The Bermuda Blood Donor Centre is happy to announce that people who spent time in the UK, France and certain other countries between 1980 and 1996 will now be able to donate. The change comes after research indicated there were negligible risks of transmission through blood donation. The US and Australia ended a similar criteria last year, and Ireland changed in 2019.

This blood donor criteria was initially imposed in 2000. It stopped people donating if they had spent certain amounts of time in the UK and other European countries. This was due to concerns about a potential of exposure to meat from cows with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. There is evidence that this can cause variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans.

“We are following similar decisions made in the US, Australia and Ireland in changing our criteria to accept donors who have spent time in the UK and Europe,” Dr Eyitayo Fakunle, Consultant Haematologist and clinical lead for the Bermuda Blood Donor Centre. “Our primary concern is always safety. Research shows that the risk to patients is negligible from receiving blood products from people who spent time in Europe between 1980 and 1996 and this has been supported by real-world evidence.”

Since it first emerged in 1996, vCJD has affected about 232 people in the world, 178 of whom were in Britain*. Cases in the UK have been declining since 2003, with two cases over the last 10 years in 2013 and 2016. There have never been any cases in Bermuda.

“When cases in the UK peaked around 2000, it was unknown how widespread vCJD was, what the incubation period might be, and what the risks were for transmission via blood transfusion,” explained Dr Fakunle. “The ban was implemented in 2000 out of an abundance of caution because there was no test for the disease, and the risks were not known. We appreciate it has been frustrating for people impacted by the criteria, but we are also sure they understand how the many unknowns at the time meant we had to be cautious.”

Dr Fakunle stressed: “The safety of our blood is always our first consideration. Following extensive published research, we are now confident that we can change this criteria safely. This change has gone through a thorough approval process in Bermuda. On behalf of the whole Bermuda Blood Donor Team, we all look forward to welcoming donors back.”

People who wish to donate can book an appointment by calling 236-5067 or WhatsApp 533-9553.

*Reported figures up to May 2023

Integrated cancer pathway leads to improved experience for breast cancer patients

Wednesday 3 May 2023: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) and Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre (the Centre) today jointly shared information about work on an integrated breast cancer care pathway, which aims to improve the experience and outcomes for breast cancer patients in Bermuda.

At a press conference today, the integrated breast cancer care pathway booklet was made public and handed to the Minister of Health, the Hon. Kim Wilson, JP MP. The Minister had requested BHB to take the lead on developing the methodology for integrated care pathway work in Bermuda, and developing cancer pathways is one of many integration projects across different BHB services, including mental health, maternal/child health, chronic diseases and palliative care. Click here for the booklet.

BHB Deputy CEO, R Scott Pearman, commented: “BHB’s integration programme aims to improve the delivery of care for patients across BHB services and the wider healthcare system. A key part of the programme is the involvement of multiple stakeholders and patients in the planning of these improvements. I’m so very pleased to see the successful development and implementation of the integrated breast cancer care pathway. It reflects the work of 21 patients and 35 clinical colleagues, including oncologists, surgeons and radiologists. This is our first cancer care pathway, and work is already underway to complete a similar process for colon and prostate cancers.”

The development of integrated cancer care pathways within the BHB integration programme has been led by the Medical Director of Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, Dr Fosker, in collaboration with BHB executive sponsor, Mr Pearman, and the programme’s physician lead, Chief of Psychiatry, Dr Anna Neilson-Williams.

According to Dr Fosker, medical director at Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, breast cancer was selected as the first cancer to review due to its prevalence in Bermuda. In addition, the availability of most steps of the treatment path on the island makes it an ideal target for review, as it allows for the identification of potential improvements that can be made locally to positively impact patient outcomes. Dr Fosker further explains:

“Putting patients at the centre of the improvement process has been essential. By listening to their feedback about where the system challenged them on their breast cancer journey, we were able to identify areas for improvement and make direct changes to positively impact patient experience and outcomes. One common issue we heard was how long it took to get the next appointment or receive results. Reviewing the process showed us that changing communication and coordination methods could have a significant positive impact.

“To further enhance the patient experience, we have established a breast multidisciplinary team (MDT) that meets weekly. Comprising the Centre’s diagnostic imaging and radiologist, some of the Island’s breast surgeons, BHB pathologists, the Island’s oncologists and the Centre’s Cancer Navigator, this team reviews each patient’s breast cancer diagnoses and determines the best path forward. This approach departs from the previous method, where patients would receive a diagnosis and have to wait to see a surgeon and oncologist. The MDT approach reduces waiting times and ensures that multiple doctors have reviewed the patient’s cancer and agreed on the best next steps.

“While this does not eliminate the need for multiple appointments with different doctors, it was acknowledged that coordinating them can be overwhelming for patients. Therefore, both BHB and the Centre will provide a cancer navigator, a staff member who will assist doctors and patients in moving seamlessly from one-step to the next along the breast cancer pathway. It is the hope of the medical community that by making these changes, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of our patients, and we remain committed to continuing to put their needs first.”

The booklet ‘Integrated Care in Bermuda: Understanding Breast Health’ can be found at bermudahospitals.bm and bchc.bm.

The Minister’s speech from the press conference can be read here.

Faster and more efficient laundry now in operation

Monday 27 February 2023: Bermuda Hospital Board’s upgraded laundry department has come through its testing phase with a clean bill of health.

CEO & President Michael Richmond commented: “Every single patient care area requires clean, sanitised laundry. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to have an effective and efficient laundry service supplying the required linens, gowns, towels and other items in the delivery of patient care. In fact, about 6,000lbs of it is cleaned, dried and pressed every day at BHB.

“Prior to the upgrade, our laundry staff were hampered by old equipment that was prone to breaking down. They had to work with an infrastructure that hadn’t been properly upgraded in over 60 years. The ultimate beneficiary of the upgrade is patient care, so my thanks go to all involved in making this project a success and special appreciation for our laundry staff for all they do each day to help us deliver the highest quality and safest care to our patients.”

Laundry Manager Kizzy Philips gave special thanks to the laundry staff and the BIU: “We’ve had six months of the upgrade, and many years of working with old equipment and infrastructure. Taking us through to today, the laundry staff have been fantastic, and we couldn’t have asked for a better working partnership with the BIU. I’m excited to see a laundry facility that helps laundry staff support the clinical services across all our campuses. The new equipment makes a huge difference to our productivity and efficiency, and we are proud knowing that we are now meeting international laundry standards.”

Director of Hotel Services Jerome Swainson added: “The laundry processes all linens, gowns and clothes used by newborns through to those near the end of life, the curtains used across the hospital, microfibre cloths used by Environmental Services, as well lab coats and scrubs for staff. For safety and comfort patients and staff need clean laundry items constantly and we can now deliver this through a more efficient service.”

The project started in July 2022 and cost $6.6 million, in line with its original budget. The impact of the costs on BHB, however, was eased by a $1.3 million donation by a single donor through the Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Foundation (BHCF).

Executive Director of BHCF Kim Pratt noted: “We are very grateful to our donor, the Pritzker/Schwartz, Vlock family, who could see the importance of a modern laundry to the delivery of high quality patient care. The donor had originally reached out during COVID to see how they could help, but responded when they heard BHB needed to upgrade and expand the laundry facility. The donor stated that they know this would have a long-lasting effect. The following is a direct quote: ‘We love Bermuda and the hospital as it is such an important resource for the island we love so much.’”

Vice President of Hotel Services, Facilities and Property Management Danny Moore gave special thanks to the facilities staff and vendors working on the project: “Working with such old infrastructure is extremely challenging and this project was not without its surprises and challenges. It’s great credit to all our partners on the project and internal staff that we worked through them, and managed to keep to the budget. The new laundry is a credit to all involved in the project.”

About the BHB laundry and upgrade project:

What is cleaned in the BHB laundry?

All linens, blankets, curtains, clothes, such as patient gowns and babywear, staff scrubs, microfibre cloths and washcloths. About 6,000lbs of laundry is cleaned, dried and pressed every day.

Which areas does laundry support?

All BHB facilities, including KEMH, MWI, group homes, Agape House and the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre

Number of laundry staff

33 including full time, part time and casual

What new equipment is in the new laundry?

• Six new washing machines – one 450lb machine, five 160lb machines and one smaller 55lb machine for baby linens and scrubs. There used to be three machines.
• Six new dryers – five 200lb dryers and one 80lb dryer. There used to be three dryers.
• Two new folding machines.

What were the infrastructure upgrades?

• Changes to infrastructure allow a workflow that means soiled linen is sorted in a separate area away from clean linen
• New hot and cold water lines, steam piping and exhaust ductwork
• Old boiler room demolished, with new building to house the new hot water system to allow the washers to operate more efficiently
• New infrastructure design makes repairs and maintenance easier, with access to the back of the dryers, for example
• New fire suppression system

Project partners:

• Greymane
• BAC
• Noesis
• ABM
• Direct Machinery
• Bermuda Commercial Laundry
• Especially for You Laundry

History of laundry renovations:

• The part of the hospital the laundry is in was built in the 1960s and there have been no major infrastructure upgrades since then
• There was an upgrade in 2004 (18 years ago) when three new 175lb dryers and two new 275lb washers were purchased along with a new air conditioning system, and upgraded steam supply and electrical distribution system
• In 2008 (14 years ago), a large 450lb washer, two folding machines and new software were purchased