Relations with Stoke Mandeville hospital "never severed"

Tetraplegic Tonio Mercieca and the Health Division have different impressions of Malta's relations with Stoke Mandeville Hospital in the UK.

While Mr Mercieca, who was left paralysed from the neck down after a tragic diving accident at the age of 14, recently appealed in a letter to The Times to the health authorities to restore ties with the Spinal Injuries Centre to give Maltese paralysed people hope of resuming an independent life, the Health Division said that the specialists at Stoke Mandeville "are still available to us for consultancy" and relations with the hospital were never severed.

In fact, it said, arrangements were being made to send over a patient.

In his letter, Mr Mercieca said that last year he required a posture and seating assessment. The consultant plastic surgeon immediately recommended that Mr Mercieca be sent to Stoke Mandeville, but his request was rejected by the local health authorities.

He later learnt that a spinal injuries specialist from Stoke Mandeville was not allowed to come to Malta by the health authorities, to review Maltese with spinal-cord injuries.

The Health Division has said that the visit from overseas of a consultant, specialised in spinal injury, was no longer deemed necessary.

"We now have a Maltese specialist who can provide the service," it said.

It said it offered a standard wheelchair service, but specialised wheelchairs have to be funded by patients themselves.

Meanwhile, Vicki Sciberras, the 37-year-old occupational therapist who was left wheelchair-bound after she was involved in a road accident in March, has applied to go to Stoke Mandeville and is waiting for a reply.

If her application goes ahead, the health authorities will assist her, but money is being raised to meet many other expenses, including financing whoever accompanies her to the UK hospital and the equipment that she would need to use.

Contributions for the Vicki Fund can be sent to the Occupational Therapy Department of Zammit Clapp Hospital in St Julian's, or deposited in the Vicki Fund, HSBC account number 058 146515 050.