The management of the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme as well as the medicine procurement and distribution system will be reviewed and a White Paper will be published asking for the public’s feedback.
This measure will ensure better stock management and avoid situations where medicines are out of stock while entire stores are filled with expired medicines.
Stock management and the running of Mater Dei Hospital were listed as priorities in the health sector in yesterday’s Budget that announced the Government is committing €444 million to the sector, an increase of about €38 million compared to the previous year.
The Government will publish for consultation the report drawn up by former EU Commissioner John Dalli who was tasked with the reform of Mater Dei.
The Government will address the bed shortage at the hospital. By 2015 two new acute wards will be opened to cater for a further 68 patients. Clinical services in Mater Dei will be increased with the introduction of new services for sexual therapy and gender reassignment.
An appointment system will be introduced at Mater Dei and the hospital will be made more patient-friendly. The Dermatology Department, located at Sir Paul Boffa Hospital, will be moved to Mater Dei.
The Government will establish a patients’ charter and national health system strategy which will stay in effect until 2020.
A national diabetes plan will be drawn up and the obesity and sexual health strategies will be strengthened. A White Paper on the regulation of the sale of food supplements will be published.
The Government will work with the private sector to strengthen primary healthcare and will open prevention, health promotion, outreach and lifestyle clinics.
Responsibility of the health centres will be handed over to local councils. Opening hours of health centres will be extended starting from the Birkirkara centre. The health centre in Victoria will be modernised and located near the Gozo General Hospital.
Works will continue at the Gozo Hospital where chemotherapy will start being offered this year.
A day care ward will be opened and new services will be introduced including a pain clinic. Government will reduce the waiting list with the opening of an eight-bed orthopaedic ward.
In the case of sick children who need treatment overseas, the Government will pay for the flights of both parents, as opposed to one.
Bilateral agreements with countries, including Italy and Israel, will be expanded to increase overseas treatment options.
The Government will offer in-vitro fertilisation to couples and start the service for eating disorders. Colon cancer screening will be consolidated and the screening for breast cancer and cervical cancer will gradually be extended. Community services for mental health patients will be strengthened.
New equipment to freeze blood will also be purchased and, in 2014, the law on organ donation will be strengthened.
Free medicines
The Government will be allocating funds for new medicines that are not available at present for dealing with conditions such as multiple sclerosis and ADHD among children and widening the choice of medicines, including the treatment of diabetes. Until now no funds had been allocated for approved MS drugs.
The Government will also be analysing the needs of sufferers of the debilitating illnesses ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) and fibromyalgia who have long been calling for support in terms of medication.