Consultation on primary health care reform 'soon'

The government will shortly launch a consultation process on a reform of the primary health care system, Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar said today.

He said at a political activity in Cospicua that the focus of the reform would be equity and accessibility, efficiency, accountability and sustainability. The proposed reform, he said, would include the introduction of group practice. Doctors and nurses in such group practices would have real time access to governemnt facilities including access to records and the issuing of prescriptions within the pharmacy of your choice scheme.

Improving primary health care was an important element in solving some of the problems at Mater Dei Hospital, including pressure on the casualty department, Dr Cassar said.

He denied that there was any waiting list for treatment of cancer. This, he said, was one of the areas under the focus of the government. A new Oncology Department was being built at Mater Dei and the purchase of a new linear accelerator was in progress.

Turning to hospital waiting lists, Dr Cassar said the number of operations had been raised.