The Bermuda Hospitals Board has lowered its alert level over bed shortages after freeing up six acute care beds a day after it reported “unprecedented” demand.

It said that at one point yesterday, 34 people were waiting for a bed at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, while more than 40 patients were medically fit but had not been discharged.

In an update today, the BHB confirmed that it had been able to free up six additional acute care beds.

A spokeswoman said that as of this afternoon there were still 20 people waiting for inpatient beds. However, eight of them were assigned beds that would become available in the near future.

“As operations were normalising, it has been decided to move BHB to alert level 2, which means that we are still on alert but no longer in an active response mode,” the spokeswoman said.

Yesterday, the alert level was upgraded to 3, with 4 being the highest.

Anna Neilson-Williams, the Acting Chief of Staff, praised the work of employees to address the shortage.

“While there was a required crisis response yesterday, our focus is still on finding ways to reduce the pressure where we can,” she said.

“We also appreciate the support and collaboration of patients, families and healthcare partners as we worked though managing these issues.”

The spokeswoman added that a trial programme had been launched by the digital health department to test remote monitoring devices, which could mean more patients do not need to be admitted, while others could be discharged earlier.

She explained: “A task force comprising BHB doctors and nurses is also looking at other possible solutions that might not resolve the significant external issues regarding community support and care but may help make improvements internally, or will strengthen BHB’s ability to escalate during peaks.”

Robin Tucker, the Shadow Minister of Health, said earlier that families should be “strongly encouraged” to take home their family members from the hospital and provide them with care.

She noted that the hospital’s staff needs should be addressed.

“It’s unsurprising that staff at BHB are reaching a breaking point,” she said.

“They endured and supported us through the pandemic, yet we saw through the recent silent protest that while they took care of us, we weren’t taking care of them. And after giving so much, we now ask them to give more.”

She added that the bed shortage and staffing issue affecting the KEMH was part of a much larger problem — the design of the facility.

Ms Tucker said a large sum of money was spent to build the hospital, which she claimed was constructed with insufficient inpatient stay capacity.

She added: “It’s pretty obvious just by looking at the design that it was not purpose built to accommodate the inpatient needs of our general population.”

In terms of support for patients, Ms Tucker suggested a daycare facility could be part of the solution.

However, she said the island needed more affordable nursing homes and greater caregiver support.

Staff at KEMH told The Royal Gazette today that most of the patients who were medically fit for discharge were seniors.

Ms Tucker said: “We have known for years that a third of our population will be seniors by 2026 and that chronic conditions are becoming more prevalent.

“We haven’t adequately prepared for this day, so much of what we are seeing play out at KEMH is sadly predictable.

“We are in a crisis and families can help by taking home their loved ones to alleviate some of the strain on the hospital and its staff.”

In a statement this afternoon, Kim Wilson, the Minister of Health, acknowledged that bed shortages posed “a significant challenge” and were caused when medically fit patients remained in hospital.

Ms Wilson said: “We recognise the strain this places on our healthcare system, affecting both the dedicated staff and patients in urgent need of care.

“To address this, it is crucial to streamline the transition of medically fit patients to alternative care settings, ensuring the process is both efficient and timely.

“This approach will help alleviate pressure on hospital resources and improve access to care for all.”

Ms Wilson added that, in the long term, the Government was committed to upgrading elder care facilities and building new care homes to meet demand.

She said: “Making home care more affordable and ensuring timely caregiver payments are also key priorities, allowing seniors to age with dignity and proper care in the comfort of their homes.

“We understand that some families face real difficulties in providing care at home and we are committed to supporting those who need additional assistance.

“However, for families who are able, we strongly encourage you to help your loved ones transition home when it is safe to do so.“

Before it was re-elected to govern, the Progressive Labour Party said that the Gilbert Institute in Paget would be turned into a seniors daycare facility, potentially ready for operation by the end of this year.

The need to free up hospital beds was recognised in last week’s Throne Speech.

It said that affordable long-term community care was required to support the transition of patients to alternative settings.