The controversial decision of where Bermuda?s new hospital will be located has been put on hold until Government determines the type of services the hospital will offer the community.

It was announced in the Throne Speech that Government will shift the focus from where the hospital will be located and will instead work with the medical community to establish and identify priorities for healthcare in Bermuda.

Health Minister, Nelson Bascome, said: ?We can only make a decision on where the hospital should be located after we have determined what services the hospital should deliver.

?We need to make sure that we have the proper resources in place so that we are not going overboard and building something that is unnecessary.?

Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert said he was surprised that Government is only now taking a comprehensive look at the island?s healthcare needs.

He said these issues should be been considered before the decision was made to build the hospital at the Botanical Gardens.

Mr. Furbert accused the Government of wasting taxpayers money adding: ?It is incredulous that they made a decision to spend five million dollars on a new hospital when they did not know what the community needed as far as healthcare is concerned.

?I fear to think what would have happened if the community had not spoken up against the issue.?

The Health Minister, meanwhile, has admitted that members of the public are concerned that Government plans to close the ?indigent clinic? at the hospital.

Mr. Bascome assured the public that Government is simply trying to create an environment where every member of the community ? no matter what their economic standing ? has access to quality healthcare.

?The patients who use the clinic will still have access to the services offered at the clinic. We simply want to create a health system that is equitable for all.

?We basically want to make sure that quality healthcare is available to everyone. That includes people who may make a few hundreds dollars a week to those who make a thousand dollars a week.?

The Government also announced plans to implement a National Health Promotion Strategy that would encourage positive lifestyle changes, including weight loss, smoking cessation, healthy eating habits and physical exercise.