The number of stretcher cases in corridors or any part of Mater Dei Hospital was 12 per cent lower in December 2013 and January 2014 when compared with similar months a year earlier.
Answering Claudio Grech (PN), Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne said it only made sense to compare one month with the corresponding month the year before to cover seasonal factors.
Dr Fearne also told Opposition whip David Agius there was an increase of 11 per cent in surgeries performed in January this year over January 2013.
In December last year, there were 3,194 surgeries, with 4,331 in January this year.