Common ground on treatment of European patients

Common ground on the care and treatment of European patients in other member states has been found.

A meeting of the Council of Social Policy Ministers, where Malta was represented by Health Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar, agreed that patients had a right to information on health services offered by their own and other EU countries.

So if the required care was not offered by the patient’s country, the patient would have a right to it in another European state if prior authorisation is granted by the patient's country.

Other points debated included prior authorisation so that the paying country could plan ahead, ensuring the safety of the patient and quality care, giving everyone equal access to care, and basing criteria on needs and not on requests.