Healthcare head admits emergency patients still waiting too long

The health authorities are still not satisfied with the waiting time patients face at Mater Dei Hospital's emergency department.

"There is still need for improvement," John Cachia, director general for healthcare services, said yesterday.

Patients have long been complaining that they have to wait for hours to see a doctor when they visit the emergency department. Last month, Health Parliamentary Secretary Joe Cassar said he was aware of the problem.

An initiative to get doctors who work privately to help out within the department was only taken up by three general practitioners, the president of the Medical Association of Malta, Martin Balzan said when contacted.

Speaking during a press conference to mark World Health Day, Dr Cachia said reducing the waiting time depended on how many doctors joined the public sector and how many new graduates remained in Malta. Attempts were being made to keep new graduates here by offering postgraduate training locally.

"The solution will only be found when we have enough doctors to provide the full service," he said.

Dr Cachia added that as long as there was a doctor shortage, emergency doctors would have to continue prioritising and seeing to the most acute cases first.

Dr Balzan said the solution to the problem of long waiting times at Emergency should lie in ensuring patients who did not need emergency treatment went to their general practitioner or health centres. "They (patients who do not need emergency treatment) are taking time away from the genuine patient," he said.