Government tackling waiting list situation - health parliamentary secretary
The number of people turning up at the outpatients’ department since the opening of Mater Dei Hospital has increased by 65,000.
The number of admissions increased by more than 4,000 and the number of major operations increased by more than 300, Health Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar said this morning.
Speaking during a dialogue meeting with Nationalist Party supporters, Dr Cassar said the government was tackling the waiting lists problem in a number of different ways.
The government was working for all Maltese and Gozitans to be registered with a family doctor who would have access to x-rays, blood results and would be able to order certain tests. The family doctor would also have a direct link with the patient’s consultant at Mater Dei. A public consultation on this was to be embarked upon soon.
It was also working to set up a centralised link and although a lot more still needed to be done, since it started working on this the ophthalmic list was shortened by 439 people. The orthopaedic list was reduced by 23 per cent. Templates, Dr Cassar said, had already been prepared for a centralised waiting list management system.
The government was also thinking also about human resources and was seeing how to create the position of operating assistants to assist nurses in theatres.
A lot of progress had also been registered for doctors’ specialisation to be completely carried out in Malta.
The government was working with unions on work practices. He pleaded with unions to help change such practices for more flexibility which would benefit the patients.
Dr Cassar said that the government was also seeing how to tackle the hospital beds issue. Following operations, one needed time to recover but this time should not be spent in an acute, but in a rehabilitation hospital.
The government was working to build such a hospital and in the meantime it was trying to increase as many beds as possible in existing ones.
On medicines imported by the government, Dr Cassar said that legislation reference prices was in its final stages and being studied by the Attorney General.
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m.bezzina
Feb 8th 2009, 22:13
Probably there will be another 20yrs ahead to build up another oncology hospital!!!and hope it will not cost us 200m
emanuel cortis
Feb 8th 2009, 16:27
What ?? Build two other hospitals ? One to replace Sir Paul Boffa on the site of the present parking area, and the new crop just announced by the Parliamentary Secretary for recovering patients ??. Are we in for another no-holds spending spree ?. Give us a break man !.
Joseph Borg
Feb 8th 2009, 16:09
I have a twenty five years of private medical insurance, with very very few claims. After going over 60 I was paying (2 persons) Lm700 a year. Putting a Lm10 claim was refused, and to crown it all they had the arrogance of telling my specialist what is medically acceptable.
lgalea
Feb 8th 2009, 13:38
So is it now that the waiting list situation is being tackled?
I will only believe it when I read that people were given an appointment for their operation or whatever they need for the day after.
m.bezzina
Feb 8th 2009, 13:34
@MR.A.L.GANADO
Dear Mr.Ganado,
what salary do you have?cos not everybody afford to pay for insurance or increasing the N.I . We already pay 3% for health contribution done when Hon.J.Dalli was minister of finance.If we speak increasing this, this and that our salary should be increased as well to be able to meet with these issues.
albert leone ganado
Feb 8th 2009, 13:22
Let us all give our support to PS Joe Cassar and to the hospital team in their effort to improve hospital management and reduce waiting lists.
I firmly believe that for the majority of citizens there is no viable alternative to a state funded national hospital.
Private insurances and private hospitals are only for a minority who find it increasingly difficult to pay the ever increasing hospital and consultant fees and the consequent steep increases in health insurances.
Let us also accept that as we live longer and expect more sophisiticated and costly treatments we should be willing to pay a higher national contribution to ensure the highest quality medical standards