St David’s MP Lovitta Foggo has expressed concerns that the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre is being set up to fail.

Government pledged to keep the St David’s facility open “until an acceptable and financially viable alternative arrangement is in place”, but Ms Foggo said service at the centre has remained limited, preventing the facility from being successful.

The Bermuda Hospitals Board announced in October that it intended to close the facility before the end of 2013, stating that the Urgent Care Centre was servicing only a small handful of patients and losing money every year. However the Government overruled that decision in November following a public outcry.

In a statement yesterday, Ms Foggo said lab work and other functions have not returned to the facility, and operating hours the have not been restored.

“Equipment (laboratory) has been removed from the facility and the further removal of the X-ray machinery is being contemplated,” she said. “This impacts on patient use, the daily number of patients seen, and, therefore, the dollar value earned by the hospital.

“Supplies are being kept to a minimum resulting in some patients being told they must go to KEMH to be tended to. This impacts on patient use, the daily number of patients seen and therefore the dollar value earned by the hospital.”

She also alleged that the Bermuda Hospitals Board has failed to market the facility, and ignored recommendations from members of the community.

“There was the push and attempt to close Lamb Foggo when records proved it was operating in the black in 2013,” she said. “It is purported that closure will still occur.

“Is this indicative of orchestrated failure? Remember the main purpose for closure was based on a dollar value. Have the BHB/OBA given Lamb-Foggo a fair shot to succeed by letting it operate as it should? Definitely not. Indeed it was formerly highlighted both in Parliament, and subsequently through public media, that a mere increase of eight patients daily would ensure viability of the facility.

“Lamb Foggo can work to benefit both the people and the hospital if managed and utilised appropriately. Our community was grateful to have the urgent care centre and it has been a lifesaver and time saver for countless Bermudians. We cannot let the BHB/OBA take this away from us.”