Bermuda will have to import non-Bermudians to cope with a health and demographic timebomb, the island’s Minister of Health said this morning.

Kim Wilson explained Bermuda must be prepared to tackle health issues associated with an ageing population, as well as chronic preventable diseases.

Ms Wilson said the island’s education system and immigration policies had to line up make sure the there were enough healthcare professional to serve the population.

She added: “Significantly, this health workforce planning project is showing that Bermuda’s healthcare needs cannot be met solely by Bermudians.

“We will need to attract additional qualified health professionals when we cannot fulfil the demand from our own workforce.

“We will be competing globally for the same human resources.”

Ms Wilson told MPs projections showed that 22 per cent of Bermuda’s population will be aged over 65 by 2030.

She added that chronic non-communicable diseases — like diabetes, kidney failure and heart disease — “are striking our people earlier in their lifespans”.

Ms Wilson warned: “If these trends continue as they are projected, we will have more people to care for and each of those persons will need care for much longer.

“Bermuda’s health system must prepare to support the long-term care needs of the community, while at the same time trying to prevent and control these chronic diseases.”

She added that healthcare workers must encourage lifestyle changes to help prevent chronic diseases and better manage people who already have them.

Ms Wilson said: “It is clear we will need a variety of healthcare professionals, not simply traditional professions such as medicine, nursing and allied health.

“The future will see an expanded role for social workers, mental health professionals, pharmacists, health educators, addiction specialists, health information specialists and many other professions.”

Ms Wilson added that Bermudians should consider healthcare as a career.

She said: “There are a lot of jobs in the health workforce and Bermudians should consider this highly-rewarding career path.”

Ms Wilson added that Bermuda’s system for the purchase, storage and distribution of vaccines would be modernised.

She said: “The areas for improvement, identified by the experts, will enable the inclusion of new vaccines to the Bermuda child and adult immunisation schedules.”

• To read Ms Wilson’s statement in full, click on the PDF under “Related Media”