Matthew Xuereb
Back to the drawing board - PM
Some of the primary healthcare reform proposals, especially those that received "immensely negative feedback", would be changed, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday.
He said that after considering the feedback, the government would go "back to the drawing board" and change what needs to be changed.
He did not mention any specific proposals but said that, after meeting doctors, he understood their concerns and, in certain cases, believes they were right in their criticism.
Some aspects of the White Paper, which elicited diametrically opposed reactions from two doctors' organisations, were also shot down by members of Dr Gonzi's parliamentary group.
One backbencher, Jean Pierre Farrugia, a doctor by profession, even threatened to vote against the proposals should a Bill be presented in Parliament.
Another backbencher, Frans Agius, a family doctor, joined Dr Farrugia in the criticism, saying the White Paper was "raw". Dr Agius said there were several points on which he had "big reservations" but would not say how he would vote.
The most controversial aspect of the reform seems to be a proposal to have patients register with private family doctors. These doctors would then be able to access the patients' medical records and test results, prescribe some free medicine and make appointments for outpatient services and day care procedures.
Dr Farrugia argued in Parliament that the system would lead family doctors to raise their fees because they would be flooded with work. Moreover, he said, the system would basically introduce a form of payment on health services, which to date are free.
In this respect, he echoed Labour's argument that the reform would spell the end of free healthcare. In fact, the PL criticised the Prime Minister for breaking his pledge that no fees would be introduced on healthcare as long as he led the government.
The Association of Private Family Doctors supported the reform, pointing out that it would give its members more power to treat patients in the community. However, the Medical Association of Malta, which represents health professionals more generally, was critical, primarily because doctors who work for the government would not be able to register.
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Mike Magri
Mar 7th 2010, 10:09
Dear Prime Minister.. It is NOT the `Drawing Board..!!` that you have to go back to, BUT to your SOCIAL CONCIENCE, or whatever you have left of it.. IF ANY.....!!! The attitude and public protests of your Backbenchers, and Mr. & Mrs Taxpayer rispectively, vis-a-vis the primary health reform and the savage new utility tariffs, are surely a CLEAR CUT CONFIRMATION of your TOTAL LOSS of this Social Concience... Period...
SHAME... SHAME... SHAME....
simon cutajar
Mar 7th 2010, 09:33
I can't understand how in a few days time Dr. gonzi seem like that he's donig alot of U-turns and this is becoming a headache for me . Dr. Gonzi is not the man who likes to do U- turns , and I think that this is becuase the election is not so far now . Hope that the poeple won't forget those cruel days ( many days ) when they go to the polling booth . For me Dr. Gonzi is the worst prime minister the nationilist party had and I've allways suported the nationilist party for the last four elections .
laurence schembri
Mar 7th 2010, 09:21
G. Galea, do you call this living?
Romeo Busuttil
Mar 7th 2010, 01:29
Very well. I strongly urge the prime minister to do exactly the same thing regarding the Valletta project. Let's go back to the drawing board, listen to the people and come up with a serious plan for the entrance to our capital city before we manage to ruin it forever.
G.Galea
Mar 6th 2010, 20:18
What about the tablets that are still out of stock at the Gozo Hospital? are we suppose to drop dead or what. George Senior citizen
R Axisa
Mar 6th 2010, 18:50
Pity that it's only the health reform that is being taken back to the drawing board due to negative feedback. There was also negative feedback on the Water & Electricity Bills and on Piano's plan to rebuilt a roofless theathre in Valletta - why aren't these taken back to the drawing board too??
jsaliba
Mar 6th 2010, 18:36
Is he not hard-headed?
Charles.j.Schembri
Mar 6th 2010, 18:01
Our Prime Minister probably promised the back benchers that if they vote for the W&E Tariffs, then he would back track on the health care bill...he has no say in the matter...they are holding him to ransom every time something like this comes along the way. e.g. San Gwann...and many more.
MBorg
Mar 6th 2010, 17:45
Well done to Dr Gonzi for not being afraidto say that some of the primary healthcare reform proposals will be changed.
The system proposed is similar to the one in the UK. English patients complain that when they visit their GP the doctor spends more time looking at the computer screen than listening to them. They also do not like group practice where they have no guarantee that they will be seen by the same doctor. If we have prove that the system is not working well in England why adopt it over here?
As for the part where in patients are required to register with their family doctor, if one pays for such visits one should be free to go to any doctor. and not be limited to one doctor.
C.camilleri
Mar 6th 2010, 16:29
Only this week PN MEP David Casa accused the PL of opposing the health reform in his article in this paper.
Am I assuming that the prime minister change of heart is because of the PL pressure?
Brandon Camilleri
Mar 6th 2010, 15:23
There is no other way one can call this but a BIG U-TURN. As usual The Times will not write this on a PN member and especially the PM in order not to irritate the party in goverment. If it was an MP from the opposition side, the comments would have been totally different.
My concern is more on the loss of finances on this mammoth project. What I am curious to know is what was the sum of money spent so far on consultancy and advertising. Who was responsinble is to reply to the people and indicate how the money spent will be re-collected without any increases in taxes or dis-service to the public.
Maybe the PM will make this possible as to what happens with the increase in oil-prices vis-a-vis fuel and utiltiy tariffs.
g.c.Forte
Mar 6th 2010, 15:14
@ Ron Saliba..........Is it normal for you,that a P.M. call one by one all the P.N. members of parliament,and have an individual secret meeting,just before a very an important vote in parliament ? The major problem is why the twinning of the backbenchers with the ministers.As I said before...........There are three reasons why the P.M. is to twin the backbenchers with the Ministers,and these are....A... The ministers are not doing their jobs well,so they need help...B...The backbenchers are there for nothing, and they are being paid for nothing, so they are going to be twinned with the ministers, so they will do something....or else, C...... The P.M. has been threatened by the backbenchers,that they will vote in favour of the opposition, if he is not going to listen to them.You have all the right to have your opinion to see that there is nothing wrong about this,but I have my opinion to say that for the benefit to Dr.Gonzi himself , to his government and his party, and most of all our country, he should call an internal meeting within his party and ask and give a secret free vote of confidence.
Charles.j.Schembri
Mar 6th 2010, 14:33
Our Prime Minister promised the back benchers that if they vote for the W&E Tariffs, then he would back track on the health care bill...he has no say in the matter...they are holding him to ransom every time something like this comes along the way. e.g. San Gwann...and many more
Anthony Pace Gouder
Mar 6th 2010, 13:41
Just reading the headlines , I felt a great sense of relief . My instant Thoughts were that the Valletta Entrance Project had been totally scrapped ! Needless to say but the Piano Project , has a NINE MONTH ACCUMULATION of ''immensely negative feedback"' reciting Dr. Gonzi's own words, and is continually heaping day in , day out !
This is the Voice of the People !
Feedback has been considered . Da' x'KIEN ?
Ron Saliba
Mar 6th 2010, 13:22
@forte
Whats wrong with that? You see a difficult future in everything
g.c.Forte
Mar 6th 2010, 11:41
We have a threatened government........Who put the P.M. back on the drawing board ? No....It is not the opposition, No it is not the Unions......No it is not the MCESD....No it is not the people that demonstrated........Yes they were his own Backbenchers. What I saw wrong,in the matter, was that they threatened the P.M. openly and not behind close doors,and that means a lot of things....I see a very difficult future for the P.M..........
Kirill Micallef Stafrace
Mar 6th 2010, 11:05
excuse me PM-so many issues have received very negative feedback-such as the proposed new parliament, power station extension and w&e tariffs. how come only health reform is going back to the drawing board??? smells fishy to say the least