Opposition leader Joseph Muscat yesterday called on Health Minister Joe Cassar to shoulder political responsibility for the “rotten” way medical consultancy vacancies were managed.

Rather than clean up the system, Dr Cassar’s response had been to sue Labour, Dr Muscat said as he derided the government for its “irresponsibility, mediocrity and arrogance”.

Controversy over the nomination of candidates to consultancy posts has dogged Dr Cassar over recent weeks. Irregular nominations were flagged by the Public Service Commission in its annual report, which also laid into the selection boards that selected them.

“More and more information emerges on the issue every day, showing just how rotten the system is. It’s time for Dr Cassar to assume political responsibility for the matter,” Dr Muscat said.

In reaction, a Health Ministry spokesman accused Dr Muscat of repeatedly ignoring various statements Dr Cassar had made on the matter.

Ministers had no say in matters concerning the PSC, which was a constitutional body outside ministers’ remit, the spokesman said.

He also added that selection boards were answerable to the PSC, which had made it clear that none of the candidates had assumed consultancy posts.

The PL leader piled pressure on Dr Cassar by referring to the problems experienced by the ambulance service.

Nurses’ union officials have complained many ambulances are falling apart as they are not adequately maintained and driven by untrained drivers.

A man injured in a feast-related explosion in Gudja last week also touched upon the matter, likening his ambulance ride to hospital to “off-roading”.

“The government always claims that we’re making things up. But the situation is clear. This is sheer incompetence,” Dr Muscat said.