Privately insured patients will not be affected by Saint James Hospital’s agreement with the government to admit those in need of minor emergency interventions on weekends.

“In no way is the private patient going to be affected. That service will remain untouched,” Saint James Hospital director Maria Bugeja assured.

“This service is completely new, in an entirely separate department with different waiting areas and patients will be cared for by a separate medical team,” she added.

On Thursday Health Minister Joe Cassar announced an agreement reached between the government and the Saint James’s two hospitals in Sliema and Żabbar.

The agreement seeks to take the pressure off Mater Dei Hospital’s emergency department over the weekends.

Every day, on the weekend, more than 200 people turn up at Mater Dei’s emergency department, a ministry spokesman said. Not all cases were emergencies.

He explained that people often had a problem contacting their family doctor between Friday evening and Monday morning. As a result, if they had a health problem, they turned up at the emergency department without first visiting their local health centre.

This led to an added strain on the state hospital over weekends. Through the new agreement those in need of minor emergency interventions will be able to go to one of the two private hospitals once they obtain a doctor’s referral – from a private doctor or a doctor at the health centre.

The doctor will guide patients as to whether they are eligible for treatment at Saint James as part of the agreement that covers services from Friday at 7 p.m. to Monday at 7 a.m.

The services covered by Saint James include minor head injuries, chest infections, fractures and trauma, gastroenteritis, acute skin conditions, ear nose and throat conditions and urinary tract infections. Saint James will not be seeing pregnant women, children under 16, patients with dental problems or ophthalmic patients.

Ms Bugeja also explained that anyone in need of hospitalisation will be referred to Mater Dei. Saint James will not be admitting patients but may keep them under observation until the transfer to the state hospital occurs. She said the doctors who will be seeing patients through this service were Saint James employees and followed the hospital guidelines.

People can call the helpline 2329 9999 to check whether they are eligible for treatment at Saint James.