Ex-European Commissioner John Dalli is not a consultant to the new Parliamentary Secretary for Health.
Last year the government appointed Mr Dalli to write a report on Mater Dei Hospital’s failings. Its findings enraged unions, and then health minister Godfrey Farrugia had to distance himself from Mr Dalli’s conclusions.
Asked about Mr Dalli’s role yesterday, the newly appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne said: “I thank John Dalli for his work and we are analysing his findings – but he is not my consultant.”
Interviewed by The Sunday Times of Malta, Mr Fearne said he would be commissioning IT experts to analyse the hospital’s new patient management system.
The system was devised by a former IT adviser to Mr Dalli and work started after the Health Ministry decided to scrap a €25 million IT contract.
Opposition health spokesman Claudio Grech recently described the system as this administration’s major flaw and Mr Fearne has acknowledged the concerns.
“It is obvious that people are concerned when an IT system that was going to cost some €25 million was re-commissioned from elsewhere at the cost of somebody’s wage,” he said.
Despite having the hospital CEO’s assurance that the system was working well, Mr Fearne insisted he will not only be taking his word for it.
Full interview in The Sunday Times of Malta and the e-paper on timesofmalta.com Premium. See excerpts on video above.