Registration of patients with family doctors

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Joe Cassar has told Parliament that at a meeting held with opposition spokesman on health Anthony Zammit yesterday, the Labour Party had expressed agreement with the proposed system of registration of patients with family doctors, but agreement was still to be reached on the operational details.

He was speaking during the debate on the Bill approving the Budget measures, saying that the government was seriously addressing the problem of human resources within the health sector. It had acknowledged there was a lack of medical professionals and the Budget would help to increase the number of nurses, radio therapists and doctors available at hospitals.

Dr Cassar said the government was committed to improving the services provided to cancer patients, and by next April the oncology department was expected to have two more oncologists in employment.

Within four years persons trained in diagnostic and therapeutic radio therapy would also be available. He thanked the British High Commissioner for her assistance in the signing of an agreement between the Department of Health, the University of Malta and a university in the UK providing for the creation of a joint programme of studies in radio therapy.

This would provide the centre of oncology that was being developed with radio therapists to assist patients in the treatment of cancer.

Work on the development of a new oncology centre adjacent to Mater Dei Hospital was already under way, with the adjudication of the tender for excavation being in process.

Dr Cassar said the Budget would also allow the public health sector to increase pharmacists and nurses, thereby allowing for an increase in the number of operating theatres. A process was under way whereby medical professionals on contract with the government were being asked whether they could work longer hours.

The Foundation for Medical Services had developed a software programme to consolidate the lists made by the individual consultants and surgeons.

This programme was expected to be running in all the medical departments by next April. These measures would all help address the long wait for operations and medical attention that was one of the pains of this government.

He said that one of the primary causes of delays in the emergency department was the high attendance by third-category patients, who could be seen by family doctors or at the health centres. To address this, the government would need to make a capital investment in the development of health centres and the creation of the registration system of patients with a family doctor.