Frank Portelli calls on Medical Council president to resign

The chief executive officer of St Philips Hospital has called for the resignation of the Medical Council's president over a decision to strike off his name from the medical register unless he pays a fine.

Frank Portelli said the decision to fine him was supposedly taken according to the Medical Council (Penalties) Regulations 2009 but the law quoted in the ruling actually pertained to the Commissioners for Justice Petitions (Local Tribunals) (Amendment) Regulations, 2009.

Dr Portelli said the quoted law was unrelated to the case at hand and asked for the resignation of council president Josella Farrugia.

He reiterated that the council's decision over a letter of suspension he had sent to Louis Buhagiar was "null and void" because he had written the letter in his capacity as CEO of the private hospital.

In the letter, Dr Portelli had informed Dr Buhagiar that he was suspending him from offering services to the hospital because of "repeated complaints" that had been received about the professional fees that Dr Buhagiar was charging patients.

Dr Portelli yesterday reiterated that the Medical Council acted beyond the powers ascribed to it by law and, so was asking for the resignation of Dr Farrugia.

"I expect that the only honourable way out is for the president of the Medical Council to resign from the position she holds having been appointed to this position in the first instance by the Prime Minister," Dr Portelli said.