With a waiting list of no fewer than 6,000 patients at the surgery department of Mater Dei, news that a number of consultants have agreed to carry out elective surgery well after the traditional cut-off time of 2.30pm is most welcome. This has so far been a hard nut to crack, but it looks that some way is being found to encourage more surgeons to take up elective surgery between 4 and 8pm.
Hospitals all over the world have waiting lists for operations, but this is no consolation to those wanting to improve their personal state of health. Since, like the rest, they are paying for the service out of people’s taxes, they expect to be seen within a reasonable time.
Past efforts at overcoming this hurdle have often fallen by the wayside, but a new man at the helm, Chris Fearne, appears to have made progress in efforts to bring about greater flexibility at the hospital.
Six of 27 consultants have so far agreed to work late in the afternoon and evening, which means there will now be a greater utilisation of operating theatres. However, in the light of the past efforts made in this direction, it will be interesting to find out what has made these surgeons take up the offer. The public is entitled to have all the details.
Mr Fearne, acting department chairman, appears to have managed to distribute some of the workload among surgeons, something that at face value appears to be quite a logical move.
In the case of one surgeon alone, the number of patients on his waiting list has now been reduced from 100 to 10, which is a significant improvement.
If Mr Fearne manages to do this across the board, the problem could be eased considerably. But would there be enough nurses for the new work schedules in the afternoon? According to Mr Fearne, additional nurses are a crucial cog in addressing waiting lists. In his view, this was not just an administrative issue but also a political decision. It is also a financial one. And, presumably, agreement on this would also have to be sought with the trade union representing the nurses as well.
Hopefully, a way would be found to remove obstacles that may stand in the way of the new momentum that seems to be building up in this and other aspects of the reform that so badly needs to be carried out at Mater Dei. The truth is that most people today are becoming increasingly wary of the politicians’ keenness to exploit the shortcomings at the hospital for political ends.
As politicians and supporters of the two main parties throw political arrows at each other for past and present shortcomings, what most people want is an overhaul that would see to the solution of the major problems for the benefit of those on the waiting list for an operation.
As those who have been responsible for the health service know only too well, knocking down barriers to inefficiency and bureaucracy is not as easy as some politicians may think.
John Dalli, who is charged with the reform, is strong enough in willpower to pilot the required changes, but his work could easily falter if he does not get positive responses from areas that require attention.
The work Mr Fearne has talked about to reduce the waiting list for elective surgery suggests that a good start has been made.