Hospital migration plan

Allow me to show the health ministry's appreciation for your editorial of November 22 where you acknowledged that the health service in Malta is considered as most satisfactory.

The health minister recently tabled the migration plan report for Mater Dei Hospital and assured the House that the top priority of the whole plan was the patient's safety. This cannot be achieved without ensuring a smooth transfer of services from St Luke's to Mater Dei.

Allow me to clarify some points about the consultation issue which your editorial raised, or rather the doubts about the lack of it with those concerned.

As stated in Appendix 4 on pages 43 and 44 of the report, no fewer than 56 departments were consulted in the process of devising the migration plan. Furthermore, the report says that "many further meetings will be held to discuss the more detailed departmental plans".

It is to be made clear that consultations about the migration plan were not made with just a 'representation of doctors' but with representatives of all departments and professionals concerned. These representatives come from the same commissioning teams which have been involved from day one in planning the physical structure of their respective department at Mater Dei Hospital.

The migration plan is an administrative issue about which the division of health need not consult the unions. All unions should rest assured that issues directly concerning the workers will be discussed with them when the time is ripe.