hospital system should be kept as consultants in a bid to boost efficiency, Shadow Health and Social Services Minister Cole Simons has charged.

And he called for more nurses -- especially specialists -- to be hired to improve patient care at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Simons said the hospital had run an advertisement this month for a replacement chief financial officer -- a year after the senior consultant left and more than six months following the departure of the former chief financial officer.

He added: "With this lack of financial direction and leadership, we recommend that consideration be given to extending Arthur Andersen's engagement to provide consultancy services at the hospital to fill its gap on the day-to-day financial management and to help develop a sound financial management infrastructure which will ensure sound financial management policies and more affordable healthcare for all.'' And he said the accountants could also work with the Ministry of Finance to establish a new cost structure between Government and the Bermuda Hospitals Board.

Mr. Simons said: "If Arthur Andersen see millions of dollars in potential waste, it makes sense that they ought to be engaged to help us realise these savings.'' And he added if consultants could be brought in to modernise and improve the Civil Service, Arthur Andersen's engagement should be extended.

But Mr. Simons said: "We believe that good nursing is one of the bedrocks of healthcare.

"In particular, we need to increase the number and quality of nurses, including those with specialist qualifications like intensive care and emergency care.'' And he added that nurses should have more recognition of the major role they play in healthcare -- which would also increase the attractiveness of a career in nursing for young Bermudians.

Mr. Simons said: "This Government needs to do more to make this profession more attractive to young people.'' He added his party, when in power, had commissioned a series of reports on healthcare, including the Arthur Andersen one, and that several projects began with co-operation between Government and the community.

Mr. Simons said asthma programmes, cardiac care initiatives and bids to deal with diabetes had all been launched in recent times.

And he added: "These professionals and organisations must all continue to take the lead by working together to plan healthcare services more efficiently.

"This will ensure that their combined strength is brought to bear in addressing healthcare, in and out of hospital, with the byproduct being improved healthcare, reduced inefficiencies and waste and reduced healthcare costs.'' He said: "This Government cannot continue with the blankets pulled up over its head. We must not compromise any standard if we are to ensure that Bermuda receives quality and affordable healthcare.'' Mr. Simons added that a Director of Seniors Programmes and Services should be appointed immediately to oversee the problems associated with an ageing population.

And he said the new post should co-ordinate not only healthcare, but housing pensions and transportation issues affecting the elderly.

"To further support this, it is vitally important that the Government open the proposed seniors' service centre to provide access to Government services in one location,'' he said.

And Mr. Simons noted that if partnerships with top hospitals overseas improved the health of residents, then programmes linking the King Edward with those should continue.

Cole Simons UBP