Doctors called for more investment in "structures" and human resources when they met Health Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne this afternoon.

Gordon Caruana Dingli, president of the doctors' association, said better management practices could improve efficiency but this on its own was not enough.

Mr Caruana Dingli was speaking during a meeting the Medical Association of Malta had with Mr Fearne.

The meeting is one in a series of encounters Mr Fearne is having with health sector worker representatives after his appointment as parliamentary secretary.

The media were invited for the first five minutes after which the discussion continued behind closed doors.

Mr Fearne said the government's principle challenge was to "go from good to great" in the health sector and elicited the help of all employees to achieve this aim.

"We have to work within the constraints of a Budget... We have to be fiscally responsible but also socially responsible and this is why I want to work with unions not only to improve work conditions but to improve patient welfare," he said.