Pledging the new hospital need not be built on the Botanical Gardens site Dr. Ewart Brown called for a radical assessment of Bermuda?s health care needs.

He said it was much better to work out what was actually needed before picking a site.

He said: ?What are most of our injuries? What are most of our illnesses?

?Why not consider having two urgent care centres at either end of the island and thereby make basic emergency care more readily available to all Bermudians??

He questioned why people with minor injuries living in the Island?s extremities needed to travel to Paget for basic procedures. More resources were needed for Bermuda?s increasing elderly population said Dr. Brown. ?Do we know whether the current plan for the hospital includes a centre for diabetic care or a cardiac or stroke rehabilitation unit?

?Should we not establish our priorities for health care so we can make a more informed decision about what and whether we can build at our current site and how much it will cost to build at the current site?

?It is my belief that once the proper feasibility studies have been done there will be no need to build on the Botanical Gardens site. I believe that we can and will find an alternative solution that will be based on pragmatic concerns and that will find favour with most, if not all of Bermuda?s residents.?

As leader Dr. Brown said he would abolish the indigent care clinic at the hospital which he said was a relic of the past and stripped patients of their dignity by forcing them to go to a ?poor folks clinic?.

Instead for the same outlay such patients will be given a card guaranteeing them discounted medical care from the doctor of their choice.

In order to keep their medical licences doctors would be required to see such patients in their private offices.