Opposition MP Albert Fenech has accused Family Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia of being “completely out of date with developments in the medical sector and not open-minded enough”.

The cardiac surgeon said the minister was misinformed about the waiting lists in cardiology, which had been cut down from two years to two months to two weeks.

Dr Farrugia was answering a number of Opposition questions about how the government was intent on changing the management structure at Mater Dei Hospital “from top to bottom”. He announced that a Heart Team had been set up for liaison between cardiologists and surgeons.

Earlier, Opposition health spokesman Claudio Grech asked Dr Farrugia, who was deputising for indisposed Health Minister Konrad Mizzi, to table experts’ advice on the splitting up of the “very efficient” Cardiac Services Department. He said that the written contrary advice from nine out of 11 consultants had not been enough to sway the decision.

Dr Farrugia said most of the major problems at Mater Dei were not about the quality of health, care or service but about management. One of the main aims of former Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia had been to make administrative changes.

Not tackling this bull by the horns would mean a continuation of mediocrity.

Prof. Fenech pointedly asked if Dr Farrugia was aware that patients with heart ailments involved more than one medical system.

Dr Farrugia countered that the government was unhappy with the waiting lists, including that in cardiology.