Ewart Brown, the former premier, has alleged unfair treatment over impending new charges for diagnostic imaging.

In a statement sent out today, Dr Brown accused the Government of producing “a step to cripple our clinics” after “years of misdirected efforts to close down Bermuda Healthcare Services and Brown-Darrell? Clinic”.

Dr Brown said both clinics had been informed in an e-mail dated May 16, 2017, that, “effective June 1, 2017, payments for MRI and CT scans will be reduced? by as much as 87 per cent”.

“Meanwhile, we see increases to all other diagnostic imaging services in Bermuda,” the statement continued.

“It is of note and importance that, outside of KEMH, only BHCS and BD offer CTs and MRIs, and that the Government has a myriad number of ways in which they can make up the difference to KEMH. Only BHCS and BD are isolated in receiving such severe cuts with no possible way the difference can be absorbed.

“Neither of our clinics received advance notice or consultation, although the BHeC has claimed that their being in a meeting with two members of our management team talking about general cuts was ‘consultation’.

“Of course there are very few businesses in Bermuda or elsewhere which could withstand such a sudden and drastic reduction in revenue. There are few people, including the BHeC executives who are championing these cuts, who could take a reduction in salary by up to 87 per cent with just two weeks’ notice. It is uncivil and inhumane. It is treatment undeserved by our clinics, our staff and our patients.

“Of course we will continue to fight this most recent attack on our very existence.”

The Royal Gazette has gone to both the Bermuda Health Council and the Ministry of Health and Seniors for their responses.

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