Call for breast prostheses tender issued

A call for tenders for the provision of breast prostheses for cancer patients has been issued, seeking to supply the quality and individualised service women have been clamouring for.

Those who just had a mastectomy should no longer be subjected to a one-size-fits-all, uncomfortable, rubber breast but would have access to the type that specifically addressed their needs, as was the case for other limb prostheses designed to fit the individual, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

The tender specified the provision of a variety of prostheses of various costs and materials, including the sought-after silicone, solid and lightweight replacements, according to the needs of the patients, the spokesman said.

Until recently, patients were offered a government voucher of €46 to be redeemed from one provider, who offered a poor-quality prosthesis – and the option of forking out more money to get the better version. Most patients had opted for the upgrade.

“It is no longer a matter of: take it, or leave it... or pay the difference,” the spokesman said, explaining the government would not be committed to a specific amount anymore and would pay for the required quality.

The call for the short-term tender closes by the end of next week, ensuring that women stuck in the limbo brought about when the previous provider’s contract was terminated would be catered for.

The fact that the call was for six months meant any shortcomings could be further fine-tuned, though it was unlikely that would be necessary, given the interested parties were consulted and their requests taken into account, the spokesman said.

Among the conditions, the tender specifies that fittings would be carried out at Mater Dei Hospital by public services breast care nurses and not by the tender holder, which was formerly the case and was another bone of contention.

Action for Breast Cancer Foundation, which has been lobbying strongly and was at the forefront of the cause, had voiced its concerns to the Health Ministry about the free prostheses the government offered, presenting a report on their deficiencies.

Foundation co-founder Esther Sant said she was awaiting the outcome of the tender and augured the successful bidder would satisfy all the criteria suggested. She said the in-house fitting service was a “good move” and proposed that the successful bidder would also provide a customer feedback form to clients, to be completed in the privacy of their homes and sent to the Health Department so it would have a “finger on the pulse of the situation”.

Gertrude Abela, president of Breast Care Support Group – Europa Donna Malta, agreed with the need for the “best possible” prosthesis for women who had to have a mastectomy and wanted to “be happy and look good”. She said they wanted their image to return to what it was before and did not want anything inferior that could hinder their quality of life.

“The group is looking forward to a quick solution and hopes the tender would be implemented soon,” she said, adding the service was needed “sooner rather than later”.