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TUESDAY, FEB. 5: Auditor General, Heather Jacobs Matthews, today confirmed that she has recommended an immediate review of the Bermuda Hospitals Board as a result of concerns raised during the conduct of the financial audit. Mrs. Jacobs Matthews also recommended that the Chief Financial Officer of the Bermuda Hospitals Board be placed on administrative leave pending the review, which will be conducted by the Department of Internal Audit. The review will also cover the operations of Healthcare Partners Ltd., a fully-owned subsidiary of the Bermuda Hospitals Board.

The Auditor General stated that “It is standard practice for the Office of the Auditor General to refer matters to the Department of Internal Audit for review. The Department of Internal Audit will assess the Bermuda Hospitals Board's operations to obtain reasonable assurance that its management control systems are adequate and operating effectively”. The Auditor General further noted that the Department of Internal Audit's observations and recommendations will be reported to the Bermuda Hospitals Board's key stakeholders and to the Auditor General. Matters arising from the review will be publicly reported by the Auditor General.

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