Health authorities say all agreements with MAM being honoured

The promotion of resident specialists to designate consultants was the subject of a revision of the 2007 agreement between the government and the Medical Association of Malta, the health secretariat said this evening.

This revision was signed off by both parties in February.

This morning MAM said that the Health Ministry was failing to honour a 2007 agreement on promotions for resident specialists.

The secretariat said that through the February revision, the basic parameter concerning the date of appointment of designate consultant changed from five to two years prior to the retirement of the incumbent.

This change meant that the schedule of implementation had to be revised.

Out of the 15 positions of designate consultants referred to by MAM, three had been replaced, eight were to be filled through normal calls for consultant since the appointment was of less than two years, while the other four were to be advertised in the coming six weeks.

Regarding the posts of higher specialist trainee, 29 were being processed and 41 were pending.

The secretariat reiterated that it would honour all agreements and contractual obligations entered.