Specialist trainees recruitment has halted. Photo: Matthew MirabelliA recruitment process for doctors seeking employment in State hospitals will have to start from scratch after it transpired that the entire process was “flawed”.
The Public Service Commission made the decision following a joint request by the Health Ministry and the doctors’ union.
The case involves doctors seeking employment as basic specialist trainees and general practitioner trainees in the health service.
Candidates completing a two-year post-graduate foundation course in their preferred area of specialisation were eligible.
Questions on the selection process were raised some weeks ago when the results were split according to those candidates who had already completed the course and others in the process of doing so. A number of applicants were incensed after it transpired that candidates who had graduated at an earlier date were given more points.
In a joint statement yesterday, the Health Ministry and the Medical Association of Malta said the decision to revoke the results had been taken in the best interest of patients and to ensure a level playing field for applicants.
The decision to revoke the results has been taken in the best interest of patients
As a result, a fresh call for applications would be made but those who had already applied would be automatically included, they said.
It was also pointed out that the decision to split the results had been taken in the wake of a ruling made by a PSC board in 2012.
This was confirmed last November by the chair of the commission, who is no longer in office, through an e-mail sent to the Health Ministry’s human resources section.
The ruling recommended the splitting of results in two separate lists: one for candidates already in possession of the warrant and another for those who would be eligible for it by the date of the start of employment.
However, this criterion did not reflect the most competent candidates because those who had qualified with higher points ended up behind others with fewer points, the joint statement said.
Contacted by Times of Malta, MAM general secretary Martin Balzan said the clause had given rise to an anomaly and yielded a “flawed result”.
Sources said that a similar stance had been expressed by all senior medical chiefs at Mater Dei Hospital, who had come out against the selection process.
A court is expected to consider an application for an injunction by a number of candidates who are challenging the decision to revoke the results and start the process from scratch.