A recent report ranking Malta among Europe's poor performers on patients' rights to healthcare services included a number of inaccuracies, according to the Social Policy Ministry.

In a statement issued almost a week after the report was made public, the ministry denied that patients had no direct access to specialists or a legal right to access their own medical file.

The ministry said the Data Protection Act allowed each patient to access his own medical file by contacting a designated person within Mater Dei Hospital.

"The system has been in place since 2001 and was also available at St Luke's Hospital," it said.

The Euro Patient Empowerment Index 2009, compiled by the Swedish-based research agency Health Consumer Powerhouse, placed Malta 23rd out of 31 European countries and said local patients remained without proper rights when it came to their health.

Although the island was lauded for patients' right to choose among health providers and the right to a second opinion, it received relatively few points because of lack of direct access to specialists, the inability of patients to view their own medical records and the lack of fault malpractice insurance. However, the ministry denied the first two points.

It also denied that Maltese patients did not get a letter upon discharge from hospital and that citizens did not have a right to choose between health insurance firms.

The ministry said that "paradoxically" the study also penalised Malta because it provided a free health service and did not allow patients to pay part of the cost of their treatment.

However, the ministry acknowledged that more patient empowerment was possible and desirable and work was under way to tackle some of the issues highlighted.

The report had said Malta needed to step up the participation of patients or patients' organisations in healthcare decision-making.