As the public consultation period on health financing reforms has now concluded (December 8), the Minister of Health announced that the broader health strategy, which includes financing reform, will be updated to address the wider health issues affecting Bermuda.
Minister Wilson said, “We all want affordable and high-quality healthcare. Together, we are working hard to ensure all residents enjoy equitable access to the quality care our families depend on, while making important choices to put our health care system on a sustainable path.
Under the previous Government, the then Minister of Health, Jeanne Atherden, published the Bermuda Health Strategy 2014-2019. This document built on the previous National Health Plan and provided the vision for health in Bermuda. It outlined strategic reform priorities for Bermuda’s health system, identifying the key goals grounded in the core principles for the health sector: quality, equity and sustainability. Much was achieved since that time, but further work is required to fully achieve success. With the strategy expiring this year, I want to build on that good work and refresh and upgrade the Bermuda Health Strategy to produce the vision and goals for 2020 to 2025.
We are determined to make Bermuda healthier and we need a joint vision for health that inspires hope, trust and confidence across the community.
This project will be led by a multi-sectoral Steering Committee and a broad cross-section of healthcare stakeholders as a Strategic Leadership Group. Their input and guidance will set the direction of the 2020-2025 strategy for healthcare in Bermuda. Further, to support our efforts, we have engaged KPMG to provide independent, local project management resources and to leverage their global healthcare insight. KPMG has been engaged via a partnership between the Ministry of Health and the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB). BHB is a partner in this undertaking due to their belief in the necessity of comprehensive and shared strategic vision and plan for Bermuda.”
The Ministry’s consultation on the Bermuda Health Plan, which focuses on health financing reforms (HFR) to establish a new basic health insurance package, and improve efficiency of our health financing system, included the establishment of the HFR Stakeholder Consultation Group in 2018. The members of that group have been invited to participate in the Strategic Leadership Group, in addition to broader health professionals, in order to build on their knowledge and expertise to develop our strategy over the next 5 years.
The refresh of the Bermuda Health Strategy will include stakeholder consultation in the first quarter of 2020, as well as short surveys for healthcare stakeholders and for the public. The surveys will be conducted and analysed by KPMG and will be launched this week on the forum.gov.bm website.
Minister Wilson said, “The Strategic Leadership Group will guide the way to build consensus on the current state of healthcare in Bermuda and the future state that we want to achieve together. Bermuda has a strong and compassionate healthcare system. This is the result of tremendous effort from our frontline providers – our dedicated doctors, nurses and allied health professionals – and the business community, insurance sector and Government. I believe this broad stakeholder collaboration will assist my Ministry by bringing the breadth of perspectives across healthcare leaders in our community. I look forward to the outcome of their deliberations to provide me with the 2020 - 2025 vision for healthcare in Bermuda.”