Waiting times for scans have been cut. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne said yesterday considerable headway had been made in the reduction of out-of-stock medicines and waiting times for operations and out­patient appointments, although more remained to be done.

He said the number of missing medicines had been reduced to five and a new system introduced for emergency procurement, where necessary.

Waiting times for MRI tests had been reduced from two years to five months and would be reduced further, while that for echograms was down from three years to a year, that for cataracts from two years to a year and angiograms from  two years to less than a week.

The number of operations for hip and knee replacements was being doubled and there would be a higher utilisation rate of operating theatres.

Agreement had been reached with surgeons who would increase the number of operations they perform during their normal hours and then be paid for a number of extra operations.

This agreement would be adopted for other sectors too.

The new Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Hospital would receive its first outpatients this month and would provide full services next year. A new dermatology department was also being set up.

Long waiting times at the hospital emergency department remained a problem.

Many people went there when they actually needed to see their GPs, Dr Fearne said. A new GP Clinic would therefore be set up adjacent to the Emergency Department to see such patients.

Dr Fearne said that while the leader of the Opposition had tried to play down the problems regarding the strength of concrete in the emergency department, it was worth pointing out that the former government in June 2012 had actually issued a contract for the building of a helipad there.

In view of the problems which had been discovered, the present government had changed its plans and would build a new block, near the Emergency Department, providing 200 beds.

Agreements were also being reached with the private sector to make more beds available.

He said efforts were also being made to reduce waiting time at the outpatients’ department. More clinics were being set up and times were being extended into the afternoon and the weekends.

In diabetes, a waiting time of two years had been reduced to six months.

Dr Fearne also said the government was awaiting Mepa permits to extend the Addolorata Cemetery by 2,300 new graves.