Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia yesterday announced plans to tackle the problem of waiting lists, concentrating on ophthalmic, orthopedic, cardio-vascular and radiology patients among others.

He said that the plans also aimed to facilitate visits to the emergency department and patient tracking. Clinical best practice was to be strengthened.

A points system was to be introduced for cataract operations, where the waiting list amounted to 4,343 patients. An increase in output of operations was anticipated.

Discussions were underway to hold orthopedic operations, including knee replacements, also during twilight hours.

There were 257 patients waiting for such an operation. An orthopedic unit was to open in Gozo.

The waiting list for light otoscopy had been reduced from 1,000 to 100 patients.

Two other specialists were to be engaged for vascular surgery while a pre- admission unit was to be introduced in urology services. Other specialists would be engaged for eco-cardiograms.

Beds at Mater Dei and at the Oncology Centre, said Dr Farrugia, were to increase by 22 and 17 respectively.

However, the hospital had a shortage of 400 acute beds because of lack of planning in designing the new hospital.

Clinical services in gender re-assignment and sexual therapy were to be increased. A specialised care centre for obesity was to be opened next year. The helipad was to be relocated while new parking spaces would be introduced in its place.

A national health system strategy would be launched next year.

This was to include a national strategy on diabetes and on obesity.

It was the government’s aim to strengthen primary public and private care, giving the citizen the right of choice. A health system report focusing on the situation in March 2013 had been prepared.

Sustainability also meant cost savings while generating financial revenue from the use of hospital services through a partnership with the private sector during the twilight hours, without hampering free health care services.

The expected revenue would amount to €1.8 million and included catering services, loan of equipment and parking facilities at a profit.

The challenge, said Dr Farrugia, was to achieve corporate governance. The major challenges were the waiting lists and lack of beds. There was the need to increase investment in human resources.

The financial system was quasi nonexistent and there were no adequate books of accounts, with no details on what payments had to be made and what revenue had been received.

The recent Dalli report brought out the facts and indicated solutions and objective aims. There was the need to build anew the non-clinical senior management team.

Management had to adopt new practices and be accountable. The government was ready to work with unions and NGOs on the Dalli report but one had to strike a balance between union rights and obligations, said Dr Farrugia.

Labour MPs Etienne Grech, Deo Debattista and Chris Fearne also took part in the debate.