Updated: MAM condemns assault on doctor

Jane Muscat

Apr 21st 2009, 00:00

Maybe our doctors are leaving because they are not respected in this country? Do people know that some doctors work 90 hrs a week,and even more, with shifts of 30hrs every 5 days ,where besides not getting enough sleep, these young doctors are also tied to their duty throughtout the whole weekend,without any choice and very poorly paid in comparision to other EU countries

Marton Saliba

Apr 20th 2009, 19:27

An then I'm sometimes asked why certain people don't deserve the free services in existence. People in the health sector dedicate their life to the treatment of patients and yet we only recive complains about waiting lists and all such sour-stuff. Now even beatings....

Bernard J Schranz

Apr 20th 2009, 10:04

..
The doctors and nurses are generally well mannered and patient and they treat you with kindness and in a humane way. It is most unfair to attribute any delays naturally caused by matters beyond their control to them.

As an in-patient I have experienced a service comparable to overseas standards where one pays thousands of Euros ! Our doctors and the rest of the medical staff including paramedics are a blessing.

Shame on the ones who are trying to fault the system and the doctors etc. Perhaps as sUggested you should visIt the US where unless you have adequate insurance cover you definitely have no blooming chance of being attended to... you are just a number. I wonder how you would react then.

Some seem to think that if you attend an OP clinic at private hospital you will not have to wait. Bullocks !!! Its no different to the state hospital. Wait you will have to and why not?

I think that we have been spoilt for far too long. Its about time that we start paying for medical services to weed out the crap!

Bernard J Schranz

Apr 20th 2009, 09:48

It is most unfair to moan that we have a bad medical service in Malta. We seem to always expect to be served immediately and are unable to accept the concept of queing and waiting. In a civilised country this is the norm.

We also have to understand that in such environments as a health centre or emergency department there is what is called Prioritisation !!! If you are admitted in an unconscious state suffering from a cardiac arrest would you expect that someone with a grazed knee who has been there for an hour or two before you should be given priority ? As much as it might seem unfair, such is life and we need to accept that the situation not doctors or the system demand such a priority !

I have experienced both emergency and out-patient services at Mater Dei and witnessed nothing short of an impeccable service. Yes my appointment did span about two hours at the Out Patients deparment which incidentally also included X-Ray time but I was seated comfortably, had reading material available and was also served coffee by a team of very kind volunteers...

Dr. Mark Bugeja MD MMCFD

Apr 20th 2009, 02:06

@Chris Finch

Perhaps you should learn about a few more causes of sore-throat. You can see a list here: http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/symptoms/sore_throat/causes.htm.... and that's just for sore-throat!

TRW O'Neill

Apr 19th 2009, 15:01

Everybody in Malta should try to view a film called SICKO, it is a documentary by Michael Moores, it explains the way that patients in the U.S.A. are treated compared to the people in Europe. You should be thankfull not to have the appauling service given in the states, a woman with 2 broken ribs , plus a broken collar bone, plus unhealed stitches in her head , put into a taxi & dumped near to a Charity mission, because she had no health insurance to pay for her treatment, another woman charged $120 for an inhaler, for trouble caused by helping at the twin towers attack, was shown the same inhaler in CUBA, the price there? 05 cents!, The Maltese treatments are funded by taxes , & paid for in the same way as the U.K. insurance, so stop moaning , you get a very good deal.

carmelo briffa

Apr 18th 2009, 18:05

Leonardo Vinci....Every day I dream that we are member of the EU...I wake up in the morning and find the contrary, We are the dustbin of the EU.....The Dump Side ....You know what we are the most gem-gem people on this planet. No matters what we gem gem. If not gem gem we are top scorers with SWEARING...no one beat us . We are the champion. And I have been here now since 1976, thirty three years and in these thirty three years I have seen enough to last me another thirty three years and even more but unfortunately I am running out of time. I have never been to public clinic and had any problems especially with the doctors. They are human and we all do mistakes. Tell me something do you aften react like this?.When did we ever have a fantastic service especially in the health Center....I lkearned another one to day a handicapp man with acute disability must pay 11.50 euros for Blue sticker and 5.00 Euros for doctor plus again for passport pictures do you really things that here in Malta everything Governmental comes free????????bologni bologni bologni ....

JDebono

Apr 18th 2009, 15:37

@C.Scerri
"The GP system is good and cheap"

You are very right. The reason that the GP system is cheap in a free market, is that there are 8 health centres around Malta in the vicinity of everyone, 4 of which give 24 hour service and it is FREE!!

Once they are removed as you are suggesting, and once doctors group up as GP practices, all competition will be virtually removed.

The service will still be good, BUT it will not be cheap.

Regarding employing foreign doctors. Most Maltese doctors are going abroad, the reasons being better conditions, better pay, better training, better career progression etc.., who would come to Malta??

Better still we should retain our Maltese doctors, by improving the conditions to be like that of most European countries.

Andrew Cassar

Apr 18th 2009, 14:51

@Kenneth Galea
You seem to be totally unaware that the Maltese Health authourities have been actively seeking to employ eastern european doctors for years(espescially anaesthetists and surgeons), as we had some very good Poles and Czechs in the recent past. But, since these countries have joined the EU it has failed to attract any. In fact we lost many of our eastern european doctors to the UK shortly after joining the EU. Doctors from these countries have flocked to Germany and Austria where pay is much much more than offered in Malta. I don't know who gave you the idea that doctors from these countries would be willing to come over!!!!

C. Scerri

Apr 18th 2009, 14:01

There is absolutely no use for Health Centres in Malta - this basically a remnant of the Noth Korea style socio-communism of the 70's and 80's.The GP system is good and cheap - they only need to come together and offer a group practice. There should be a maximum of two Health Centres and these should act as small district hospitals with appointments and an emergency service - and all this (including the main hospital) at a small fee e.g. 1-2 Euros per visit. This is enough to reduce abuses.

Andrew Camilleri

Apr 18th 2009, 13:36

I think loads of people commenting on this blog are really really cheeky and spoiled. The amount of pressure and work doctors have is incredible, and if you think they actually have any time to enjoy their lives and spend time relaxing think again. Such pleasures are few and far between. The health services in Malta are overstretched and patients ungrateful because of the free service. Patients really need to be educated in manners.

Not that all doctors are as polite as one could wish. However one has to realize that these are people under an enormous amount of stress and in a job with massive responsibility. Grumbling about the treatment that particular doctor gave for a cold is utterly ridiculous. What do you want, a full work up because of a runny nose? Come on, be realistic. I remember that woman who wrote a letter to this paper a few weeks back stating that checking her (routine) blood pressure was an emergency. Get real. Even I as a third year student know that these people are speaking out of their rear ends. Of course, the latter person had presumptuously stated she was in the right...

Ingrid Jones-cameron

Apr 18th 2009, 13:10

Violence in any form and towards anybody can never be tolerated.
When it comes to health centres much has to be done. i WENT TO A clinic suffering abdominal pains one night. I waited 15 minutes for the so caLLED DOCTOR TO WAKE UP. hE CAME DOWN. HE SAT ON A CAHIR in the corridor and I stood up!!!! He made a wrong diagnosis verbally because he never palpated me or did a check up and sent me to mater dei. Veryy veryy unprofessional.

Elaine Mangion

Apr 18th 2009, 12:14

Yesterday, one of my family was admitted to hospital. Doctors and nurses work really hard in the emergency department and we should be grateful for their efforts.

Unfortunately, we had to wait for 4 hours in the emergency department until a bed is available.

Joe Xuereb (London)

Apr 18th 2009, 12:12

The NHS in Britain is under strain. Worst are the Accident and Emergency in hospitals where nurses and doctors are often dealing with violent alcoholics, drug abusers, serious injuries. Waits can be long but cases are obviously prioritised. Walk-in Health Centres (to ease the General Practitioner's workload), extremely efficient, offer a walk-in service, you take a ticket and you wait. Never for long. Never very crowded. But we do get a few people who've never seen a clinic in their lives who use the Health Centre as a Day Centre. We accommodate. They are learning how to use and not abuse the system. It takes time. The General Practitioner's clinic operates an appointment system that works. Calm and decency is the expected norm. That is why it works.
Doctors in Malta are human beings. And so are the patients. The problem arises when patients have unresolved issues, maybe but not necessarily related to their outbursts. They give vent to their frustration at any figure of authority. The doctor is a sitting duck. A doctor treats people, s/he does not hit back. In Malta nobody would dare head-butt a policeman or a priest. Doctors are fair game. This is Malta.

K. Xuereb

Apr 18th 2009, 11:47

@Charles Zammit
So first you "condemn" the attack....then you blame the doctor!!!!very cheeky indeed.
First of all doctors at health centres DO NOT start their day always late.....they might come to see you late, but that is because they must do loads of other jobs like house visits etc. And if the health service employs a doctor just for him to sign prescriptions for a hundred patients in 2 or 3 hours, what is the doctor supposed to you?? Do a full examination on you??

If the headlines read "Doctor assaults patient" would Mr Zammit write: " First of all I condemn this attack. I wish to inform MAM that these episodes are provoked by the patients. Patients are always rude , they turn up for something really petty and expect to be seen there and then. And then they don't keep their appointment and they don't bring the list of pills etc etc" Or wouldn't you Mr Zammit?

Kenneth Galea

Apr 18th 2009, 11:41

@Adrian
Precisely Adrian, employ foreign doctors at our hospitals and health centres because the Maltese doctors are leaving Malta. There is clearly a shortage of doctors and nurses and the health minister should fill the gap by absorbing foreign doctors from Europe. The EU expanded to Eastern Europe and I know from experience countries like Poland, Hungary etc have experienced doctors who can do the job with no attitude!!!!!
Just another comment I think some bloggers are being unfair to Charmaine Mangion......a sore throat can be so bad at times that you do need a doctor to check you over. Charmaine clearly felt here that the doctor did not take her seriously and could not wait to get rid of her.

Johann Micallef

Apr 18th 2009, 11:30

@ Kenneth Galea
I don't know if you realised....but now we are in the EU. There is freedom of movement. Any EU doctor can apply for employment with our national health service. And I'm afraid to tell you that there were no such applications! No one in the EU is so desperate that he is willing to reduce his income just to suite you!!!!The government had to resort to employing non-EU surgeons to fill in some posts (Russians, Ukrainians etc).

@Charmain Mangion
...And I assume that now you are dying because you were not seen for a few minutes longer? You should have told the doctor to stay having a chat with you, so the waiting time for the others waiting would have been 3 hours.

Kenneth Mangion

Apr 18th 2009, 11:28

I can't believe some of these comments!
Seriously guys.. even if a doctor treats you like crap... it doesn't entitle you to beat the daylights out of him! If anything, politely ask for his name and registration number, and send a letter of complaint to MAM or one of the local newspapers...

Joe Grima

Apr 18th 2009, 11:10

While this discussion goes on allow me to break a lance for the doctors and staff at the Gozo Health Centre in Victoria where efficiency, courtesy and manners are never amiss. I heve been visiting the centre for eight years now and I can say that the right attitudes were there from the beginning, People follow each other courteously, without comment until their turn to see the doctor comes round. The centre is computerised. All the staff are familiar with the computer. . I can sypathise with a patient who says that after waiting for 2 hrs she was out in 20 seconds but this has never happend to me at the Gozo health Centre and neither have I seen it happen to anyone else. Time to say thankyou to the doctors and staff there. Same goes for the Gozo hospital particularly to the people dispensing pills there. At the hospital, queues are sometimes quite long. In all these years I have never witnessed a case of queue jumping. The pill dispensers are quick on the job and very efficient . Prosit u thanks

Charles Zammit

Apr 18th 2009, 10:29

While condemning such episodes, I wish to inform MAM that these episodes are at times
provoked by doctors themselves, first they start their day always late, so imagine patients become inpatient waiting, secondly just for a 2 second writing a prescription they make patients loose their temper, so MAM should see to this, as there are doctors who have no charismatic approach at all.

Chris Finch

Apr 18th 2009, 10:26

I cannot believe the attitude of some people!
Christian Camilleri - did you never have a break during your working day? or do you work through your lunch, teabreaks etc?
Charmain - you had a sore throat! Is this really worthy of going to the doctor? Try taking strepsils or buttercup syrup! A sore throat is either a viral infectio (antibiotics do nothing) or bacterial (by the time the antibiotics start to work you will be feeling better anyway). A doctor will prescribe antibiotics just to placate you after all I woul dbet that telling you there is nothing they can do would make you feel cheated out of your hypochondria!
A doctor should be respected, yes they are only human but they go into the profession to help others.
Wth attitude of some people in this country, it is no wonder that young doctors are now going overseas where they are respected.
Oh and did the person who assaulted the doctor really think they would get treated faster? They should be banned from every health centre in the country!

leonardo vince

Apr 18th 2009, 10:25

carmelo briffa - what are you talking about - you have not understood my comment.

And about comparing our service with third world countries - are you aware we are in the eu - and before we became a civilised countries we had health services round the clock - and satisfactory service at that. intelligent indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark Tanti

Apr 18th 2009, 10:15

Simple wait for your turn. Be polite. We are humans if we rush into thing we do mistakes. A health care mistake isn't a joke that is it

Sore throat - he could have explain what bacteria or take a swab for lab analysis or let me think hmm the only thing that he could have told you when to take them ... what side-effect the meds have and to finish the whole coarse lol

Adrian Cachia

Apr 18th 2009, 10:02

@D.Briffa - The MAM knows better then you what doctors see during their working shift. How come people call these doctors for private visits? Didn't you write that an investigation should be done on the health centre doctors??

@C.Camilleri - No people in the waiting room? Maybe you should call the Mosta Health Centre when there is no waiting line at Qormi, they would gladly send some patients there!!!

@K.Galea - Why employ foreign doctors from the EU? Hospitals in the EU have the maltese doctors.....they are all leaving.....go to the UK, Ireland and Scotland. I am sure you will stumble on some maltese.

Now for the three of you....the doctors themselves know the system as it is is not working but I would also want you to keep in mind the abuse, the ignorance, the arrogance that they face daily with their conditions and pay!!! Maybe you should spend a day with them at the health centre...

Kevin Zammit

Apr 18th 2009, 09:59

@charmaine mangion

What else did you expect for a sore throat, valet service?

@Mark Tanti
I'm assuming you are in the medical field ... apologies m8 but can barely make out what you are trying to say

carmelo briffa

Apr 18th 2009, 09:52

Leonard vince- sorry that I and most intelegent people in Malta they will all tell you te same.Bear-in-Mind......Here in malta nothing is for nothing.....For health centers we payed and we are still paying. It all come out from our TAXES and I agree that since we all use this kind of service one have to wait and act as a human during his or her waiting period. We all should look up and say the magic words. LORD THANK YOU THAT HERE WE FIND A DOCTOR----in many places arround the globe where there is not a doctor available and people have to travell for many miles on foot....

charmaine mangion

Apr 18th 2009, 09:51

its always about the doctors yest i needed treatment cause i couldnt swallow with bad sore throat and my gp wasnt available, and i was disgusted. i told the doctor i had bad sore throat he got a normal torch and saw my throat, wrote antibiotics and i was out without any checkups in 20 secs after 2 hours wait. is this good service?! this is not free services, thats why we pay NI contributions and taxes!!!!!!!!!

Kenneth Galea

Apr 18th 2009, 09:48

@Christian Camilleri
Christian I was also thinking on the same lines like yourself. Don't live in Qormi so I cant comment on the situation at its health centre. However I do get the feel that the system at the health centres is in a dire state and is in need of urgent restructuring and change. The Government seems to be encouraing patients by its attitude to use private GP services. Our private GP services remain relatively cheap in comparison to countries like the UK. I think it is about time that a fresh attitude is taken at the health centres and maybe employ foreign (EU) doctors to run the centres.

Mark Tanti

Apr 18th 2009, 09:35

Yes, right surely treat every patient as if they are your closest friend or family that is what we learn and that is what we try to do. But patient should also keep in mind ... doctor do not do miracles and know staff within 5 minutes your are in. Patient should follow what doctor, nurse, pharmacist any health care specialist tell them, that is take your meds, stop smoking, reduce alcohol consumption, reduce weight.

Respect is what every one wants, everyone needs and everyone expect .... a yes 8- 12 hour shifts dealing with patients health and life ... so waiting is part of the system .. if not there is always the private sector to refer to ...

Oki you say I PAY TAXES .. rightly so but the medical industry is getting more expensive both human resources and equipment

Christian Camilleri

Apr 18th 2009, 09:35

I live near this health center, and when I go there to visit a doctor..sometimes there's no qeue, and still you have to wait for more than half an hour because he is taking his relaxed break with a cup of tea and a newspaper in his hand..while patients in need wait patiently :/

d briffa

Apr 18th 2009, 09:29

how come doctors are always depicted as angels of mercy in the eyes of the MAM.. when is a serios investigation going to beld with regards to health centre doctors.. and real number of patients that they see during their working hours.. and by patients i am not including the private patients and private home visits that are performed during their working hours!!

leonardo vince

Apr 18th 2009, 08:56

No one should be assaulted.

However, everyone should treat patients in waiting rooms as human beings in need and not some tags trying to get something for nothing. Sometimes I really am disgusted by the behaviour of medics and paramedics towards patients in waiting rooms, as if they are invisible.

The behaviour of some staff in some health centres should be questioned.