Medical consultants who forfeit their private practice will be financially rewarded through a new agreement between the government and the doctors' association, The Times has learnt.

Sources said one of the clauses included in the agreement is that consultants working in the public sector, and who opt out of private practice, will be offered a "specific contract". This type of contract was offered in the past.

The agreement has already been approved by the council of the Medical Association of Malta and was announced in Parliament by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi last Wednesday.

The association will be asking its members to approve the agreement during a meeting on Monday evening.

When contacted, MAM general secretary Martin Balzan said the council is recommending that the association members approve the agreement.

The agreement covers the whole of the profession, from the most junior doctors to the most senior, including those working in government health centres. It also addresses post-graduate training, he said.

The MAM has long been saying that Malta should develop specialist training programmes for doctors who stay on in Malta instead of training abroad.

The agreement is also expected to pave the way for the doctors' union to sign the collective agreement for the public sector agreed some three years ago but still unsigned.