MAM insists government cannot shuffle doctors without discussion

The president of the Medical Association insisted this afternoon that health centre doctors could not be shifted from night to day duties, because of the emergencies which cropped up at night.

Dr Martin Balzan was reacting to a press conference by Social Policy Minister John Dalli who earlier today said there were enough doctors to man the health centres round the clock, but the doctors needed to be better deployed, especially in the morning (see separate story).

Dr Balzan said the minister’s figures ignored the fact that 20 of the doctors he had referred to were trainees. Nor did he factor in the night emergencies.

He said the MAM was insisting that the government should respect an agreement reached on Monday, which ended industrial action in three health centres. Any changes to the roster had to be discussed, he said.

Dr Balzan said that unless the government observed the agreement, the association would declare another dispute this Monday.

During the press conference, Dr Balzon played a sound bite by Dr Dennis Vella Baldacchino at a conference on primary health care during which he was heard saying the sector needed a complement of 110 doctors for health centres to provide a 24-hour service.

Mr Dalli had said in his press conference that there were 69 doctors.

See also

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090521/local/mam-walks-out-of-conciliation-meeting-with-the-government