Hospital beds shortage: MAM echoes appeal for home help

deb bugeja

Feb 16th 2009, 10:01

a state of an art and we have already problems with bed shortage. Wasn t St Lukes hospital already shortage of beds. how can a new hospital be already short of beds when the long time problem should have been accounted for and bearning in mind not to have the same problem

Robert Formosa

Feb 15th 2009, 11:47

Let's say one of my parents gets back from hospital because they have been discharged due to lack of beds and I am told to care for them. What if complications happen and irreversible health consequences occur because when I am at home on the very first day could not handle this same complications. What would I and people in the same postion as me do? I will rightly sue the hospital management and thus the Governement...and who is going to pay the fine at the end?...the tax payer

Joseph Sammut

Feb 15th 2009, 07:10

It seems that most of the blogs so far have not understood MAM's message: when a patient is discharged it is because he is well enough to go home. Why should a patient still occupy a hospital bed; mela we do not know what we are saying? If we do not agree with MAM on this issue, we are one crazy country.

Where in my humble opinion MAM's argument/plea faulters is that relatives should take care of their discharged elderly relatives. Considering the society we live in, this is pure fantasy. In this modern society of ours, we have young couples, probably not having yet paid the wedding bill, separating, we have young couples not having their first born because fears of unsecure income, we have grandparents raising children like never before,,,,,, need I say more? So is it a surprise to MAM or to anyone that relatives are finding sick elderlies an additional burden in their mad lives.

And this is where governments come in (please note that I said governments, not PN or LP). One of their main jobs is to creat and maintain social stability in every sense, political, economical, security, family, etc.

Dr Francis Saliba

Feb 15th 2009, 05:45

Paying taxes and NI contributions does not entitle the taxpayer to abuse the facilities of a hospital for acute medical conditions and to convert that hospital into a residential home for the elderly or for convalescent patients beyond the period of active treatment. The Mater Dei hospital beds should be reserved for acute cases.

p.grima

Feb 15th 2009, 00:41

@-g.c.Forte -

Do not forget that Mater Dei was doubled in size (from some 400-beds to some 800-beds) by an MLP gov who had made a pre-electoral promise to dismantle it totally if elected. The rest is history. And if there was a shortage of staff for a 400-bed hospital, how did they possibly think of complementing an 800 bed hospital?

So you see, you shouldn't judge too hastily, and use two weights and two measures.

carmel Debono

Feb 14th 2009, 23:34

@Clifford Caruana
Evidently, you have a direct interest to defend the doctors or perhaps one of them yourself, as otherwise you would think logically on the matter, however you are correct in stating that I have no idea how a hospital is run, what I know is that I ran an organisation that operated on 24/7 its shifts were such to accommodate the customers not my subordanites to manifest their private interest and become moneyed to the determent of the clients, need I explain the shift mechanism and the advantages it permits for one to rest, but of course your considerations are otherwise. Hopefully we shall soon see an end to the exploited public transport services, followed by the ill-treatment offered by the doctors at state hospital and lastly the prime monster of all professionals, the injustice offered by our proletarian Law courts.

lgalea

Feb 14th 2009, 21:24

g.c.Forte
You are right. Of course staff is the biggest problem because the isiotic eggsperts did not plan for the required staff, but in the meantime it is disgusting to let St Lukes and other hospitals go to ruins.

At least they could also be used to house some of our senior citizens.

John Zammit

Feb 14th 2009, 20:50

Being almost 60 years old and reading these comments has made me wonder what is going to be my fate in a few years time. Luckily for me my ex-employer will continue to pay my medical insurance and I own my home which on the advice of those who commented I can mortgage and with the proceeds pay the fees to live in a residential house for the elderly. But what about those who do not? A poem which I read as a boy in the early 60's by Anton Buttiegieg entitled "Meta n-Nannu Mar Tax-Xjuh" comes to mind. In this poem Buttigieg tells the story of a old man, who was quite healthy, had to go to L-Ingieret as his family financially could not afford to keep him. That was in the 1950's; what are the prospects for the next decade? They do not appear to be rosy at all.

Joseph Castillo

Feb 14th 2009, 17:40

If patients want to stay longer in hospital they should be given this opportunity against payment.

g.c.Forte

Feb 14th 2009, 17:33

@ Dear all.............Most of you are suggesting to use other hospitals. like St. Lukes ,Boffa, Zammit Clapp and others. Most of the problem is not the hospital itself, but the STAFF to runs these hospitals outlets, it is already a problem at Mater Dejn where it comes to STAFF. It is like having a nice car but without wheels. That is where this incompetent government is wrong, because I still remember our ex Prime Minister saying that he is having a nightmare every time somebody mention to him Mater Dejn. He was absolutely right, but GonziP.N. counted the chicks before they hatched, and to hurry things he made a totally QASSATA.

Joseph Galea

Feb 14th 2009, 17:15

I think we are all getting the wrong end of the stick.
This has nothing to do with traditional values.
Each individual elderly person has paid his/her dues in contributions and medical care; pre, during and post is his/her right.
Relatives do not need to justify themselves and the MAM's statement is uncalled for and very unprofessional. They should waste their energies with the competent institutions and authorities and leave the emotions outside this context.
There is no need for us to justify what we earn or if we have the energy, the time and the competence to care for our loved ones. IT IS SIMPLY THEIR RIGHT.
joe the plumber

John Cutajar

Feb 14th 2009, 16:48

@ Joseph Galea
Was not one electoral promise to make Health care a "Centre of Excellence"? And to retain health are free of charge?
If you have money to spare no one is keeping you from paying for your health bill out of your own free will. But I tell you with a massive out of stock list of medicines and with relatives buying medicine for their patients treated at Mater Dei or clinics, Government is anything but mollycoddling us.

John Cutajar

Feb 14th 2009, 16:40

@ Eric Psaila
I expect medical care to be free because Government deducts my share from my salary, because I paid for Mater Dei through taxes and because my salary, as with the majority of Maltese is not enough to cover also health nsurance, if you care to follow the DOI statistics on per capita income.

E. Psaila

Feb 14th 2009, 16:38

@Joseph Galea

Really, are we living on the same planet? How dare you describe these services for free? Do they deduct tax from your pay-cheque each month? If the government gave a tax rebate to those who send their children to private schools, why shouldn't he do the same with others who choose a private hospital?

Didn't they know how many beds are needed before they built the hospital? It's like planning for a house and when it's ready you realise you do not have enough bedrooms for your family!! Come on, like everything that this government does the hospital is not state of the art but lousy and people who try to defend Gonzi do so to defend themselves after voting him....sorry I have to switch off computer now...you know electricity bills and all...

John Cutajar

Feb 14th 2009, 16:35

@ Carmel Debono
3 cheers for you mate. Two more points to add: why di not the majority of Consultants take on the "Dalli agreement" to give up their afternoon private lucrative clinics and dedicate their full time to Mater Dei? Why the afternoon clinics never materialized even though nurses were ready to go? And about the blocked beds, funny MAM is talking now when Mater Dei is inundated by admissions of ailments related to Winter climate. Did the problem crop up now or has it been festering since migration and now it is biting hard and deep? The problem existed in St. Luke's for years so Directors and management gurus at the Health Ministry had ample time to plan before Mater Dei took over. The smaller bed capacity just makes things worse. Why do not MAM state the obvious that lack of staff and lower bed capacity are the main problems?

Alfred Cassar

Feb 14th 2009, 16:14

Mater Dei is a HOSPITAL and not an Old People's Home.
We should all take care of our parents whenever they are not capable to take care of themselves. That's what they did to us when we were young. However for those who do not want to do this there is a solution. And this exists in the UK and it works fine. The parents must take a loan or sell their property and with the money they go to a Home.

Some people always pretend the Government to do what they should do, and to do it fee of charge. How cheeks

David Magro

Feb 14th 2009, 15:46

Addios Stat socjali. A typical case of mismangement and lack of forecasting by this government. A long waiting list, lack of elderly homes, unmanagable policlinics and once again lack of planning. Min hu responsabli ? Min ser jerfa r-responsabilta ? Il-konsumatur is-soltu.

g.c.Forte

Feb 14th 2009, 15:30

@ Joseph Galea..........If your stomach turn reading the inane comments, you must have a problem man. I have been working and gladly paying taxes for more than forty six whole years.I am proud for paying the national insurance for all these years, but it will be unfair to me that I do not get a state of the art hospital service.I am afraid that you are wrong when saying that our hospital is free, we pay taxes, the N.I. and other payments to subsidize our health scheme.If you are one of those that you do not pay the taxes and the N.I. you are right to have your stomach upset. Still I urge to those who can help in this matter will do so ,at the end of the day we are one big family, and please do not mix politics and health, because today you......tomorrow me.

N Cachia

Feb 14th 2009, 15:20

Have you ever been told that one is admitted to hospital according to clinical need, and that therefore you have to wait to be seen at St Luke's/Mater Dei because the case is not urgent? Do you know what happens if you say you then indicate that would like to be treated in a private hospital? If not, you can always try this one out!

Clifford Caruana

Feb 14th 2009, 15:12

@ Carmel Debono

I am afraid you are very misinformed. You have no idea of what happens in our local hospital and abroad. Mater dei is one of the few hospitals in Europe where all doctors have to come in from MON to SAT. (Rest of EU MON to FRI). Elective theatre is still performed on SUNDAY (rest of EU MON to FRI). I am not sure you whether you are a father or not but I am sure that everyone would like to spend weekends with the rest of the family. Doctors are no exception. However they do not have this luxury. Junior doctors are even worse. I am sure you are not aware that junior doctors work 2-3 duties per week. A duty starts at 7:45AM of one day and does not finish before noon of the following day. Some have to stay for longer. From your comments it shows that you have no idea how much the medical work force is overworked locally. Try to get informed before u comment next time...

Eric Gahn

Feb 14th 2009, 14:50

Why is my country's state of the art hospital fresh out of beds? No one expects, or likes or enjoys staying in hospital beyond what they are required to.

Which brings up another question. I think our country is being grossly mismanaged in a very gross way (just to show how gross it is). Can we ask the EU to audit and take over if required? And before hitting the keyboards for a reply, think about it.

Patrick Sciberras

Feb 14th 2009, 14:39

Introduce some form of payment (even a percentage will do) and I'm sure most of the problems will disappear in no time, but no politician has the guts to do it even though everyone knows that the healthcare expense is not sustainable.It seems most people prefer living a lie i.e. 'free' healthcare !!

Vivienne Psaila

Feb 14th 2009, 14:04

DR. GONZI SAYS, THAT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF OUR STATE OF THE ART HOSPITAL ,AND I TELL HIM THAT WE WANTED GOOD SERVICE NOT THE BUILDING WITH LONG CORRIDORS INSTEAD OF MORE WARDS. AS THE MALTESE EXPRESSION SAYS MINN GO TAGEN GHAL GO NAR.

James Saliba

Feb 14th 2009, 13:59

I don't think that being a patient is something that people look forward too. I neither think that unless it is not necessary, people will gladly opt to move out of hospital and to return to their daily routines. So what government/MAM are suggesting does not really make sense to me. People that need medical attention, should get this from others which are qualified. As much as relatives would like to take care of someone, one should abre in mind that these are most probably not qualified to do so. Apart from the fact that constant attention is difficult to be given unless people take leave from their work. One has to remind the readers here that government's plans over the last 15 years or so have included a convalescent hospital wereby people that underwent an operation could be located to rehabilitate. However gov has made a mess out of all this situation, by not thinking ahead. On the other hand MAM should be serious about its appeals and instead take a look at how consultants are effectively working within mater dei. Beds in several wards are often left unoccupied because the consultant only admits patients on certain days.

Paul Mangani

Feb 14th 2009, 13:54

GC Micallef's comments makes most sense of all comments hereunder. Use ST Lukes Hospital for ederly receiving treatment but out of danger!!!!!

Michael Catania

Feb 14th 2009, 13:43

To all these wowsers who are bleebing that health care should not be free to all, may I remind you that we the TAX PAYERS are funding the health care system on theses islands. Like some of you I too lived abroad so I can express an opinion ( which I am not going to do) of how health care was paid for in these countries. wherever you are on this earth nothing is free, BUT THEN MAYBE THESE WOWSERS DON'T PAY ANY INCOME TAX (MUST HAVE A GOOD ACCOUNTANT) Finally the health care system in this country in the late eighties was as good as anywhere else and its only the conservative goverment who intentionally has run the health service down to the state it is at even with "the state of the art " Matre Dei

M. Bugeja

Feb 14th 2009, 13:42

Then the govt. wonders why so many medical students go abroad - in Malta, young house officers can only look forward to working an average of 80+ hour weeks, because of the shortage of staff on all accounts, plus the miserly pay which they get compared to other professions. Their pay is barely decent, and that's considering they work so much overtime.

What we have is bricks and mortar - the govt. hasn't solved the chronic problem of staff shortages in the hospital and a bloating hospital bureaucracy.

Either run the hospital efficiently, or privatize it so that a company can actual turn it into an efficient institution. Free health care is great, but I agree that those earning a certain salary per annum can afford to pay for their care.

L..Galea

Feb 14th 2009, 13:42

Joseph Galea
No one is expecting the government to owe them something for nothing.We pay taxes through our noses which should be used for the services of the citizens not for squandering on white elephants and vanity projects and has been done by EFApn and is being done by Goenzipn.

Alex Sciberras, Carmel Camilleri
Simply a lame excuse because the Mater Dejn hospital was supposed to cater for a GROWING population. So how come the stupid idiot eggsperts who planned it planned for LESS beds that St Lukes? And if there is this senior citizens problem, why doesn't the government build more homes for our senior citizens who have paid taxes all their lives? Gonezipn done absolutely nothing to build local senior citizens homes?
Alex Sciberras Taking their homes in compensation after a lifetime paying taxes? Why don't you tell it to the marines?

Carmel Debono You are correct.

Joanne Micallef, claudio abela, leonardo vince You are not only right, but in the meantime they are letting St Lukes go to ruins!!!! And we also have Boffa Hospital which someone wants to develop into a hotel!!!! And what about Zammit Clapp?

A Cutajar

Feb 14th 2009, 13:28

what about the community care?? If I remeber about 2-3 years ago MUMN was proactive and urged the Goverment to improve our community care services. It (MUMN) also proposed a document based on the WHO framework as regards the Family Health Nurse... However nothing happened!!!! We are now faced with lack of beds at MDH, lack of human resources, personnel at hospitals faced with over work and ....... to add the cherry on the cake a Perm Sec urging relatives to take care of their sick relatives.

francis agius

Feb 14th 2009, 13:22

@jos.galea. First of all, we paid and we are still paying for health services. We paid and are paying the weekly 'National Contribution', which part of it is taken for 'free hospitalisatiion'. And everybody is paying VAT, which from 15% becomes 18% to subsidize, 'Health Services'. PLEASE STOP COMMENTING POLITICALLY.

James Scerri

Feb 14th 2009, 13:10

I don't want to sound vindicative...however....the only way to control these so called specialists would be to privatise the Health sector. On the other hand, very few people would afford the costs!
...however, I always thought and still do, that Maltese specialists are not professional enough (although they are excellently [in bold] proficient). In Maltese we have a saying which says : 'kelb tieghu innifsu!'...in this situation this is 100% correct.
I must also point the finger to the government ( both PL + PN ...Mater Dei has been in construction since 1994) for not planning ahead in this situation. With that enormous amount of money spent, I would expect everything, but not a 3rd world country service in a state of the art Hospital!!!

..this is so unbelievable...aren't we in the EU?!

Lara Pisani

Feb 14th 2009, 12:58

This appeal by the MAM has nothing to do with the appeal made by Dr. cassar. The MAM is referring to those social cases where elderly patients are abandoned by their relatives in which case I fully support this appeal.What Idon't support is the appeal made by Dr. Cassar where he was quoted as saying that relatives should take home post op patients and take care of them themselves to the point that they take leave from work.

M.Galea

Feb 14th 2009, 12:32

@Joseph Galea
Who on earth made you believe that people get anything for nothing. Anything dished out "free" is not free at all but paid out from our taxes. And before you tell me that we dont pay as much as they really cost. Don't bother, because the government does not fork out extra money, but taxes us to finance itself. So we either pay for them today or tomorrow through loans + interest the government would have taken out. So Mr. Galea, dont patronise us please. I have lived abroad and there I financed an army to play super power with weapons as well.

Andrew Camilleri

Feb 14th 2009, 12:29

Are some people commenting on this article literally that stupid? It leaves me flabbergasted. Of course there are problems with the number of beds, the hospital wasn't well designed in the first place, but to say there isn't a problem with patients remaining in hospital for nothing? If you were to go to hospital for a while and cast a critical eye at the situation through the lense of a person who actually understands what goes on in the medical field, many patients do not need hospitalisation, but are left there by uncaring and unfeeling relatives who simply burden both the health system and the country.

Another big problem with the people in this country is that everything is for free. If people had to pay at least a nominal fee, there would be a drastic reduction in the number of social cases. However this is an issue which I believe will never be tackled by any government since the ignorant man in the street will cry foul; socialism has it's major shortfalls, and one of these is giving every Tom, Dick and Harry a high opinion of themselves and a belief they are experts on everything.

martin portelli

Feb 14th 2009, 12:18

@ Joseph Galea

A great number of us not only lived abroad but have also never burdened the state with a great number of things , including health, education and childcare! The issue here is who is responsible for what, and what on earth one pays taxes for. Certainly not for mismanagement of public funds and non existent logistical planning! Is the state absconding its responsibility and putting the onus on the community? It seems no one is accountable for this mess but relatives who refuse to share the burden according to the authorities. Of course tax payers and employers are annoyed. That is a reductionist and dim view of the true situation. Give a breakdown of what type of client is occupying which hospital bed first maybe the picture will become clearer. You did note I hope that Dr. Cassar is actually proposing the building of another hospital. Do you think the tax payer should be subjected to another 17 years of mismanagement/deceit and risk ending up in the same situation? Who will be the true beneficiaries?Surely not the sick and definitely not the tax payers !

Eric Psaila

Feb 14th 2009, 12:16

@Carmel Camilleri
The government should protect patients in such cases. These are exceptions and not the rule.
Do you remember those times when those having a health insurance actually made money when they fell ill and had to go to the government hospital? The insurance used to pay these people an x amount of money per day spent at the government hospital. This is not the case anymore. So when there is a will there is a way. We have so many intelligent people running our country. Is it not possible that they can come up with a workable solution? This is not possible because politicians draw up policies first and foremost to get reelected. That is the biggest problem. There are solutions. One has to have the guts to implement them.
However one must not forget that there are politicians who have put their head on the block to do a good job. These include Dr. S Zammit PN He stood up against hunting.
Dr. J Brincat PL. He lost his seat after his term as minister of housing. Mr Lino Spiteri for having stood up to Dr Alfred Sant.

M.Bezzina

Feb 14th 2009, 12:00

@Paul Psaila
''Kemm konna ahjar meta konna St. Luke's.''-
Well said

''Kemm konna ahjar meta konna ghar''insomma St.Luke's qatt ma konna ghar!!

And yes I agree that there should be a form of payment. If money is involved no one abuses from the system that for sure needs to be revised cos it is showing a failure.

G Borg

Feb 14th 2009, 12:00

Post 2of2

I believe relatives who are working on a full time basis, should not be expected to stay off work to take care of post op patients, and rehab patients, simply because it does not make sense.

One is taking from an already weak sector (economy) to try and benefit another weak sector (health), with a risk of not doing any of them right.

The health trends in all developed countries, are showing, people are living longer, they will suffer from more chronic conditions, and local modern medicine should start thinking about such trends. In the UK Care of the Elderly is the biggest medical speciality, and posts for doctors are the commonest. Simply reflecting modern trends. I cannot understand why we have to be faced with a big problem as maltese as usual to start working on it, rather than pre-empt it, when a new hospital is being built, when the healt system is dynamically changing.

Charlo Dimech

Feb 14th 2009, 11:59

Why do you say it is completely free of charge? We are paying taxes and social security.
So STOP saying it is free!!

G Borg

Feb 14th 2009, 11:55

Post 1of2
The problem of beds in our acute hospital is a multitude of things. Listing them with no particular priority:
1) State of the Art Building and Equipment, but Lack of Management, and general laziness and apathy in all the government sections, especially in the health department
2) Lack of adequate community services to cater for such patients. Patient's post major surgeries may be discharged earlier from hospital if there is adequate community care. IE community rehab, nursing. (MMDNA currently are overstreched, and cannot cope with more)
3) Dumping of patients in hospital, with the unfounded knowledge that they will enter a nursing home/residential home faster through hospital. This was seen especially in the migration
4) Private practice and working hours for our doctors. The senior staff all want to leave hospital to go to their privates... were they can make a living. junior staff have to work more than 30hrs at stretches without any rest breaks, rendering the system inefficient.
5) Lack of rehab services, with adequate rehab facilities and hospitals. A patient post hip replacement, should be moved to a rehab centre day 1 post op.

Joe Camilleri

Feb 14th 2009, 11:48

The solution to this problem is getting to know your facts
1. How many patients are using the hospital services by going through private clinics? The health department thinks that only those visiting the Outpatients department are using the other hospital services. This means that they cannot forecast the demands of the population. Patients can bypass the outpatients easily.
2. Is it true that some consultants/ managers have contracts with the private health system? If yes is this ethically correct?

The solution is that the minister should be listening to his employees at shop floor and not his consultants/ managers who may have contracts with private health centres. Only those attending the Outpatient Dept and Health Centres should have access to hospital services. Those who attend private clinics should use the private services.

Joseph Galea

Feb 14th 2009, 11:10

It really makes my stomach turn reading all the inane comments by people who believe the Government - any Government - owes them everything for nothing. It is patently clear that none of these moaners have ever lived anywhere else except in Malta where they expect to be mollycoddled by Government! You even get someone commenting 'kemm konna ahjar meta konna St. Luke's!' Are we living on the same planet?

a attard

Feb 14th 2009, 11:02

For those who have full time jobs (as the system and economy dictates) this will be an impossible task. The employer is becoming ever more demanding these days requesting more hours for less pay! At least that’s my experience. We were told a while back we have to do the sacrifice is we are to compete!!! One cannot generalise as some have the time on their hands and their job might allow some form of maneuvering and favours, but I am sure this is not the majority of cases in Malta…...not to forget that some also have to do a partime job to make ends meet.

Martin portelli

Feb 14th 2009, 11:01

Lovely is the MAM now in collusion with the Government? Does it not have the decencey to state that it's the Government's mismanagment of the health sector that is the root of the problem. Please give us a breakdown of the number of beds occupied by social cases and long term care patients at Mater Dei. Give us the real picture with regards the thousands of Maltese families who haven't burdened the state with regards care of elderly relatives. Has MAM concluded any studies with regards the economic cost of this proposal ? Leaving aside the elderly , how do they propose to deal with the issue of 'responsibility' and the post operative client? WiIl discharge from hospital mean the responsibility buck is passed to relatives ? Pray tell what criteria will determine 'fit to go home' in this crisis managment proposal - patronage?, How will taxpayers reconcile the fact that they have paid over the nose for a hospital that doesn't deliver and having to foot the bill with regards to nursing and medication, physiotherapy etc regardless.
Has MAM proposed/ planned out the logistics of a 'hospital at home' policy? Or are relatives now professional Jack of all trades?

Carmel Camilleri

Feb 14th 2009, 10:57

@Eric Psaila

You ask: Why should married couples probably both working and earning a salary of over 23,000 euros each should benefit from free medical treatment?

Time to take off your blinkers buddy.

Well, for starters I do earn €23,000, but that's not the point. To start charging for hospital care, you need private medical insurance, which is not available to everyone regardless of their income.

I for one, fell ill when I was 17 years old - before I even went to University, let alone have a job. I was diagnosed with a condition that is chronic and increasingly debilitating. I know for a fact that sooner or later I will require major surgery. However, no medical insurance will cover me for treatment related to this disease. So, 16 years on after being diagnosed, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.

What you are suggesting would be unfair on cases such as mine. I have been paying my taxes and national insurance to the full and I have a right to expect free treatment in state hospitals simply because I have no other option.

Richard Paul Agius

Feb 14th 2009, 10:40

How can I take care of my ailing Mum if I DO NOT KNOW how to !!!

Alex Sciberras

Feb 14th 2009, 10:31

Please note: It is a state of the art HOSPITAL NOT a Residential home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carmel Camilleri

Feb 14th 2009, 10:27

@ claudio abela

Claudio, it's pretty apparent that you havn't been setting foot inside a public hospital as an in-patient for quite a long time.

The problem of social cases has existed for decades, and will continue to exist if it is not tackled through education.

I was a patient at St. Luke's twice over the past 20 years and I always remember having to be kept inside the corridor because all the cubicles were full. I also remember the number of elderly patients who were seemingly doing well but who had nowhere to go. I remember the nurses pleading with their relatives that they are fit to go to no avail. I also remember one woman saying fair and square that if her father was discharged, she would bring him back to casualty the following morning because she was going for a holiday over Christmas.

The truth is that people think about themselves first. They don't give a hoot that their relatives are hogging up a hospital bed for nothing simply because it's free. Gonzi has nothing to do with it.

Well done for MAM and Joe Cassar for tackling this.

Carmel Debono

Feb 14th 2009, 10:26

CHARMING.. The usual crap from the so called specialists! Why not set your house in order first, primarily by discharging patients also on Sunday and not having to wait for the admitting consultant to discharge them, this will leave a lot of beds available at weekends.
WHY not air such grievances to the unions concerned who are and always have been the mischievous body to many problems, I am sure you are aware that on Sundays, no surgical procedure take place and there is never a shortage of staff simply because staff is paid double, subsequently leave and sick leave are taken on other days. May I know why a hospital that is supposed to be on the job 24/7 is burdened further by Sunday perks? Likewise why it is that not surgical treatment takes place on Sundays? The answer of course is that the consultants private work takes prominence. This is what the Medical association should be telling us and not return their self inflicted problems to the public, I do hope that minister Dalli will put an end to such ruthlessness which has been going on since the famous Mintoff era strike.

Joanne Micallef

Feb 14th 2009, 10:09

We either want women to go out and join the workforce or we still want them at home to take care of the elderly once their children have grown up.....iddeciedu please

It is a known fact that life expectancy has increased and it is also a fact that many people opt to continue working nowadays. If our state of the art hospital is too small to accommodate our needs than one doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that we desperately need another rehabilitation facility where patients can go and recuperate without being a burden to their relatives.

Paul Psaila

Feb 14th 2009, 10:06

Kemm konna ahjar meta konna St. Luke's.

C. Grech

Feb 14th 2009, 10:03

I moved to the UK 4 years ago .... so I might have missed some of the media reports regarding the Mater Dei project.

But, and I stand to be corrected, wasn't one of the priorities set for the new hospital that this should make up for bed shortages which were prevalent at St. Luke's? The new hospital 'estate' seems quite impressive so how come there are less beds now??

Homer Simpson comes to mind .... doh!

James Scerri

Feb 14th 2009, 09:54

Let's reason it out....Health Dept is out of money....
1. To take care of a patient one needs to take leave...hence putting the burden on the Enterprise with whom the employee is working with. I don't think it's a good move, in the current world economic situation!!!!
2. On the case of complications shortly after an operation, is the Health dept willing to offer a teleportation medium to take the patient back to hospital.
3. Why, oh why..did we construct a "state of the art" hospital which is smaller in bed size then St Lukes?!
4. ..should the authorities look at the social cases, where elderly are being abandoned in hospital, by their 'relatives'????

I'm not asking for much....I would find it abusive if someone occupies a bed for a broken arm or a scratch on the finger....but after operations, patients should be monitored for their well being..not let in jeopardy with relatives who are impotent if an emergency arises!!!

Eric Psaila

Feb 14th 2009, 09:45

Why should medical care be completely free of charge? For those who cannot afford it should be free but for those who can the government should introduce a charge to at least cover the cost whilst in hospital. This money should then be invested in building more homes for the elderly.
Why should married couples probably both working and earning a salary of over 23,000 euros each should benefit from free medical treatment? Certainly these people can afford a medical insurance. It is the government's responsibility to pass laws to see to it that people above a certain income bracket would be obliged to sign up to a medical insurance. It is a matter of planning and foresight. That is the way forward to solve this huge problem which is a big burden on the country's coffers.

effie carbonaro

Feb 14th 2009, 09:32

i feel ashamed reading this article after the millions spent on this hospital and all the talk about the state of the art comedy.

Alex Sciberras

Feb 14th 2009, 09:20

100% agree with the medical association! Our hospital is used to dump the elderly patients who are a burden for their families....more institutionalised homes should be set up....An institutionalised elderly costs a lot of money to care for, so as happens abroad, their homes should be taken to compensate for their care. With this system more relatives would take care for their loved ones.....

G C Micallef

Feb 14th 2009, 09:18

Why don't the authorities use St. Luke's ??

mario borg

Feb 14th 2009, 09:07

the socio-economic structure of our society have changed. Women nowadays hold full-time jobs. WHo will take care of the elderly?. There is already a problem will regards childcare. And why it is being assumed that everyone has close relatives willing to make huge sacrifice for them?

it is ALSO the responsibility of the state to take care of them. One solution can be to invest more in medium-sized home for the elderly in village and town.

Our healthservices are been mismanaged for too long - for at least 10 years - nothing was done except paying lip services. More investment, better management and less excuses.

leonardo vince

Feb 14th 2009, 08:47

It seems that public health care standards has to be guilliotined at all cost.

And do not try to pass on the blame for the reduced service on the irrisponsibility of relatives. Relatives now has to fight for service holding their ground mainly due to a foggy system especially applied to problems of the elderly.

Joining the EU seems to be the drive of having an inferior health service.

claudio abela

Feb 14th 2009, 08:45

this is not about ''traditional family values''.......ma ndahhqux nies please !!...its all about mismanagement , co-ordination and finally....the state-of the art , one of a kind hospital.......where's the planning sur prim ministru !!???...

Dr Francis Saliba

Feb 14th 2009, 08:45

If patients at the Mater Dei hospital were to be accepted home by their relatives with the same alacrity as they do when they are being treated against payment in private clinics the problem would be half solved.