Patient resuscitated in Casualty corridor

Raymond Cutajar

Feb 21st 2010, 12:42

This is Serious and Shamefull
In my line of work I noticed and braught to the attention of whoever is responsabile at the civil authority the huge number of irregularities and sheer abuse of power for allowing mickey mouse happenings for the past 10 yes ten years guess what? Only whitewash politics to confuse, cheat the public and Brussels at the same time
In this country people in certain positions who perform badly , misserably bad are allowed to plod on and to hell with the good wellfare of the law abiding citezen
When I read this and at such a sensitive institution which unluckily needs much to be desired from decision makers then No wonder in my line of work the civil authorities keeps masking and Mumm whatever they are told ------------mind you even others in the same line of work did inform--------to no avail
Sorry and Pitifull Malta and doesany body think that our MP's really care?
Kif jghid il Malti Iz zaqq il mimlija tigi tixxejer mil vojta

Ray Buhagiar

Feb 21st 2010, 10:34

Why all the fuss? Any patient in hospital could suffer a heart attack, an adverse reaction to medicine, an injury from medical equipment at any time and place. Patient could have suffered a heart attack while being taken to theatre. It's normal to deal with these incidents in a hospital setting

Is the problem realy the shortage of beds? or is it the unnecessary length of stay?

l. theuma

Feb 21st 2010, 10:13

Ma taħsbux li hi ġennata li jkollok sptar li fih tkun diġa bdiet titfaċċa l-problema tas-sodod, imbagħad tippjana biex tgħaddi għal sptar b' inqas sodod?

J Oatmon

Feb 21st 2010, 08:16

@ Dr Portelli.
I agree 100% that this is poor planning and incompetent decision making (politics and corruption undoubtdely played major roles in this), and was based on not making waves, and not taking into account the trends (such as drug use and abuse). And the crowning glory is all concerned duck responsibility, and pass the buck.
That such a fine facility is run in such a way can only be described as a major professional disgrace.

Frank Portelli 2BFRANK

Feb 20th 2010, 22:32

@ A MIFSUD

I have made a number of proposals in different Fora

Here are some solutions I proposed - you may have missed-PPP last point

1) Make Mater-Dei autonomous–to reduce bureaucracy.

2)Appoint a Clinical “TSAR " from outside NHS answerable only to the Minister.

3)Minister sets policy-“Tsar” implements it - on the principle that '"governments should steer not row"

4)Employ more full time Doctors–in the NHS doctors have private practice on top of their NHS post-a financial incentive to keep long waiting list

5)Make a "one-stop shop" for patients seen in outpatients, tests performed same day, & immediate decision to put patient on the waiting list

6)Rank patients on clinical/social criteria-progression-of-disease, disability, dependence,age

7)Make URGS-Urgency-related-groups-each group to have maximum waiting time (Urgency=the maximum time allowed-to-get-best-results-from-treatmet).

8)"priority-score"patients for treatment (Priority=relative-position-on-waiting list).

9)Clinical-Outputs & Outcomes-constant-review

10)Finally-establish-a-Public-Private-Partnership.

A Public-Private-Partenrship was utilized by Labour Party in the UK to demolish waiting list

We have tried everything else with 6 different Ministers-of-Health

The alternative is stay as we are?


Dr Frank Portelli

John Portelli

Feb 20th 2010, 20:19

Really sad that we have a new hospital, however, it not enough to accomodate the whole population. As for some of the comments below that the hospital will be closed if this happened in a private hospital, I don't think Malta is in a position to do such a thing with the existing shortages. That would create more shortages. Why not try to make use of St Luke or create a new wing to the new hospital. To me, this was poor planning and this has nothing to do with politics. It is just poor planning by a genious.

A. Mifsud

Feb 20th 2010, 19:09

@ 2BFRANK

Does your proposition/solution constitute exploiting private hospital beds and services as a back-up to overcrowded beds at Mater Dei by any chance?

If this is the case I'm afraid that your concerns and "constructive criticism" on the subject are more of an opportunistic aspect than of a purely genuine, ethical and moral nature.

Such criticism would have been truly constructive only if one had raised the -would-be-occupancy alarm bells at a time when Mater Dei was still being planned - not now.

Apart of the fact that I strongly believe that this move would lead to a massive financial abuse to an already over burdened public health system, I still don't think that this would not solve anything. What about the lack of medical staff and brain drain? This is our real problem !

Frank Portelli 2BFRANK

Feb 20th 2010, 17:31

@A Mifsud

This is not about Private Hospitals or Political Parties - its about our State Hospital

The Times of Malta wrote a factual report on what is happening at Mater Dei :-

1. " Bed Shortage a Threat to Patient Safety "

2. Situation at Mater Dei "Shameful and Appalling" and "ethically wrong"

3. Patients becoming cross infected with Gastroenteritis from other Patients in the Hospital because of the "overcrowding".

4. Consultants at Mater Dei are reported as saying "they would not assume responsibility for system failures"

I made Constructive Criticism and provided solutions on how to prevent this

My ideas were shot down-by those who have a vested interested to maintain the status quo – whether this interest was political or financial.

For a Fact some had Malicious Intent to do this (More on this in the future)

Unless we must keep politics out of this - the situation will get worse.

This does not mean we do not Criticize

We should citicize constructively and propose solutions

Dr Frank Portelli

A.Mifsud

Feb 20th 2010, 16:44

@2BFRANK

Whilst such situations are truly intolerable and remain utterly shameful, let's not try to give the wrong impression that private hospitals are flawless. There have been instances (and perhaps even more serious) whereby local private hospitals SHOULD have really been closed down by the authorities!

So please let's not start pointing fingers, and let " he who is without sin cast the first stone"

Charles Caruana

Feb 20th 2010, 16:35

State of the art and three times as much the predicted cost!!!!

But still well done for the staff. They have nothing to do with this situation.

Mifsud K

Feb 20th 2010, 15:43

State Of the Art?!

d.attard

Feb 20th 2010, 15:34

'Unless we keep politics out of this' to me means that political parties should not examine the policies that led to this shameful state of affairs (i.e. a brand new hospital costing exhorbitant sums of money to build and run, that can not handle volume soon after opening) nor should political parties examine a way forward.

This, in my eyes, boils down to virtual dictatorship as further underpinned by censorship issues.

This is to me an attitude that dilutes all forms of opposition as with the 'it is not the time to protest' as if government and its cohorts would conceed to a time that was ok for others to protest against its behaviour.

Frank Portelli 2BFRANK

Feb 20th 2010, 14:49

@ Frans Sammut

The article hit me with its sub headline " Bed Shortage a Threat to Patient Safety "

It then continues to describe the situation at Mater Dei as "Shameful and Appalling" and "ethically wrong"

Patients becoming infected with Gastroenteritis from other Patients in the Hospital because of the "overcrowding".

Consultants at Mater Dei are reported as saying "they would not assume responsibility for system failures"

Had this happened in a Private Hospital - the Authorities would have close it down - Rightly So Too.

So why let it happen at Mater Dei ?

I gave Constructive Criticism and provided solutions-and my ideas have been shot down - by those who have a vested interested to maintain the status quo – whether political or financial.

I know for a fact --- Certainly Malicious. (More Later).

Unless we keep politics out of this-the situation will get worse.

Had that patient died what would we have said to the family?

Dr Frank Portelli

PS Frans you are too intelligent for us !!

albert leone ganado

Feb 20th 2010, 14:00

This is a chronic situation which can only get worse until we will reach a stage of permanent bed shortage crisis.
In the short term it is essential that we exploit the beds lying idle in private hospitals or at least offer partial support to those patients willing to go private.
In the longer term we must swallow political pride and reequip and reactivate some of the wards
in the former St. Luke's hospital.

I Vella

Feb 20th 2010, 13:39

A Big thinks goes to the doctors and nurses at Mater Dei. Thanks for your hard work and please don't give up. We need you

Eric Gahn

Feb 20th 2010, 12:46

@ m bezzina:

Why are you complaining about ethics? Is it ethical to try to work (and these people's work involves saving lives) in an environment that hinders more than helps one with thier duties? Is your opinion that to be ethical they should just shut up and work with what crappy means they are provided? 'Ethics' like yours smell of dictatorships.

Frans Sammut

Feb 20th 2010, 12:36

@ Dr Frank Portelli

To be frank: you're 100% right. Also to be frank you're right most of the time. And to be frank, you know where you are not right. Needless to say, there is not need to say where ... you know it already, to be frank that is.

J. Debono

Feb 20th 2010, 11:57

Maybe an agreement should be reached with St. Phillips as the nearest hospital to lend beds.

G.CASSAR

Feb 20th 2010, 11:55

Viva GonziPN..................He prefers to give millions of euros to the bus drivers rather then funding the medical health system. Shame!!!!

This shows that the Govt. is so scared that they will loose all their power and wealth which comes with the parliament seat that it is better for them to secure votes for the next election. After all dead people don't VOTE!!!!!

Mario Bonnici

Feb 20th 2010, 11:40

@Dr.Frank Portelli.
But we can close down the Gonzi PN government...

Charles Busuttil

Feb 20th 2010, 11:11

Are there social cases in the maternity department too. Can't St. Luke's Hospital be used as a temporary hospital for these social cases? Somebody told me that in the 'basement' of Mater Dei Hospital there are a good number of conference rooms that are nearly never, if ever, used. Can't these rooms be converted into wards to ease the pressure of lack of space?

Mark Borg

Feb 20th 2010, 11:07

transparency is as clear as mud, and resignation only comes with death of the individual. Not even then do we see any resignation. It's like nothing ever happened, amazing not a word about all of this on NET tv, yet at least. Ghaliex ma jiehduhomx private hospitals ihallas il-poplu ibzax, fejn tidhol hajja u mewt l-poplu zgur mhu se jghid xejn, fejn tidhol l-hela iva.

m.bezzina

Feb 20th 2010, 11:06

Dik vera etika professjonali!!Prosit ghadna vera ghalxiex niftahru!!

Chris Farrugia

Feb 20th 2010, 10:58

@Frank... exactly. But its malta after all, no one is accountable, transparency is as clear as mud, and resignation only comes with death of the individual.

@Gahn .. if the gov predicted that people seeking health services will decrease over time, than you really can't hit any lower than that.

A small fraction of the $80m in the Valetta project could have been spared to restore st luke's into a nursing home and alleviate the bed lock in Mater Dei. But the truth is that they can get away with it because they know that the maltese population(me included) is pretty submissive and the corruption within the system is so entrenched that one would really have no idea where to start.

I don't know if the LP is a suitable gov alternative but I dont think that the PN even hit this low in their history.

Jeez... i'm so happy i left malta 2 years ago.

Eric Gahn

Feb 20th 2010, 10:36

Reading this article I felt I needed to research why our beloved PN Govt decided to build such a small hospital. It turns out that in 1999 a study was commissioned on the future health of the Maltese population and surprisingly the results showed that by 2020 the Maltese will never ever be taken ill with anything. It also forecasted that by 2015 PN Govt funded research was going to find a cure for the common cold, cancer, AIDS, heart diseases, diabetes, dementia, loneliness, and male pattern baldness.

What all this means is that the desicions taken to build such a small hospital made perfect sense and it was never becasue the PN Govt wanted a lot of Bang! with little effect.

Frank Portelli 2BFRANK

Feb 20th 2010, 10:27

Had this happened in a private hospital - the Authorities would have closed it down !

Dr Frank Portelli