A “significant number” of chemotherapy treatments have been delayed after the Bermuda Hospitals Board learnt that its two specialist nurses for the procedures were unable to work.

Some patients will receive help to seek care overseas and it was hoped that the situation on the island could be resolved in about a month.

The BHB said that it was making efforts to “stabilise oncology services following its two chemotherapy nurses being unable to work for unrelated and personal reasons”.

It explained: “Chemotherapy nurses are specialist nurses who are trained to give chemotherapy treatments to cancer patients.

“BHB has two nurses, with an additional nurse who is in training and still requires supervision.

“Recruitment has begun for additional chemotherapy nurses as the two nurses, who have provided an amazing service for many years, are close to retirement.”

One cancer patient told The Royal Gazette that he had undergone surgery five weeks ago and was told that he needed to start a course of chemotherapy “as soon as possible” afterwards.

The patient, 60, who asked not to be named, said he constantly called the unit and was told to call back later.

He said: “Then, on Monday, I had a call from an oncologist doctor asking me if I had insurance to get treated in Boston.

“That’s just not possible. My course of chemo is meant to last 12 weeks.

“Do they expect me to fly out to Boston every two weeks for a couple of days to get treatment?”

The patient said that they had heard from two fellow cancer patients who had also been asked to get treatment overseas.

He said: “I think they’ve been putting calls in to everyone asking them to go elsewhere.

“If they only have one oncology nurse, there’s no way she will be able to deal with all the patients.

“But this is just ridiculous. This has happened because of the hospital’s poor organisation. It’s poor planning and a disgrace.”

Judy Richardson, the Chief of Nursing, said earlier: “The sudden impact of our situation was only known on Monday.

“We have reached out to local partners, all of our clinical partners and nurse agencies to bring new resources to the island as soon as possible.

“Everyone in the oncology team is working to provide as much coverage as possible, but a significant number of chemotherapy treatments have been delayed.

“Patients for whom any delay in treatment will impact their outcomes, or those who have complex or specialised therapies that require chemotherapy nurse skills, will be supported in seeking overseas care.

“While we hope we can resume normal services in about a month, new oncology patients will also be referred overseas until we have chemotherapy nurses on island.”

She added: “We are so sorry for this impact, especially as we had just completed recruitment to fill our oncologist roles.

“The formal recruitment for chemotherapy nurses is ongoing with a sustainable training plan being developed with overseas affiliates.

“We are also exploring the recruitment of locum nurses as temporary resources as they can be organised more quickly.”

Ms Richardson said an update would be provided as soon as locum resources are secured.

Last month, Dagmara Poprawski and Bhanu Bandlamudi joined Alisha Tucker to complement the hospital’s team of oncologists.

The Ministry of Health has been asked for comment.