Health & Seniors

Vision:

                Healthy People in Healthy Communities

                                                      

Mission:

To ensure Bermuda has an equitable and sustainable health system that promotes and protects the physical, mental and social well being of individuals and the community.

 

The Ministry promotes and protects the physical, mental and social well-being of the community by ensuring the following outcomes:

• The population of Bermuda has a healthcare system which is accessible, affordable and effective.
• The population of Bermuda is protected from public health threats and has information to allow them to lead healthy lives.
• Bermudians have access to affordable health insurance.
• Residents of Bermuda have access to hospitals which provide affordable, safe and effective care. 

Organizational Structure:

The Ministry of Health consists of the Ministry Headquarters, the Department of Health and Health Insurance Department. In addition there are two Quangos: the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the Bermuda Health Council.

 

Ministry Headquarters coordinates and determines the policy direction of the individual departments. Each department is responsible for its own operation, under the direction of the Department head who reports directly to the Permanent Secretary. The Quangos, as statutory bodies appointed by the Minister, report to the Minister through the Permanent Secretary.

Programmes and Services:

The Ministry of Health provides a wide range of programmes and services under the various Departments and Quangos. These include direct healthcare delivery, affordable insurance packages as well as strategic policy and decision making and oversight of the health system. See the individual Department web pages for more information.

 

Legislative Authority

The primary legislation governing the Ministry and providing its mandate include:

• The Public Health Act 1949
• The Bermuda Hospitals Board Act 1970
• Health Insurance Act 1970
• The Bermuda Health Council Act 2004
• Residential Care Homes and Nursing Homes Act 1999
• Senior Abuse Register Act 2008

 

Statutory Boards and Committees

The Ministry of Health has responsibility for 17 Government Boards and Committees which provide oversight for key areas of the healthcare system. These Boards and Committees include:

• Bermuda Health Council
• Bermuda Hospitals Board
• Mental Health Review Tribunal
• Health Insurance Committee
• 12 statutory Councils and Boards regulating healthcare professions

 

Staffing & Budget

Employing over 300 staff, the Ministry of Health is one of the largest Ministries in the Government and has an estimated operating budget of $191 million for 2012/13 fiscal year. The greatest portion of the Ministry’s expenditure is the Bermuda Hospital Board’s grant which subsidizes hospital care for children, the indigent and the aged and covers the costs for operating the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute.