Every year, on April 18, European Patients’ Day is held throughout the European Union, Malta being no exception. A number of activities are organised to mark the occasion, to recall with renewed emphasis the European Charter of Patients’ Rights, drawn up back in 2002 by the Active Citizenship Network group (www.activecitizenship.net/).
According to the charter, everybody has a right to: 1. a proper service to prevent illness; 2. equal access to health services; 3. information about his/her state of health, about health services and how to use them and about all scientific research and technological innovation available; 4. access information that could enable him/her to actively participate in decisions on his/her health, including participation in scientific research; 5. choose freely between different treatment procedures and providers on the basis of adequate information; 6. confidentiality of information regarding his/her state of health and privacy during diagnostic exams and treatment; 7. treatment within a swift and predetermined time;
8. access high-health quality standards; 9. be free from harm caused by poorly functioning health services, malpractice and errors and right of access to health services and treatments that meet high safety standards; 10. access innovative procedures, according to international standards and independently of economic or financial considerations; 11. avoid as much as possible suffering and pain in each phase of his/her illness; 12. programmes tailored as much as possible to his/her personal needs; 13. complain whenever s/he has suffered harm and the right to receive feedback; and 14. sufficient financial compensation within a reasonably short time whenever s/he has suffered physical, moral or psychological harm caused by the health service.
The authors of the charter, in the preamble to the “basis document” (www.patienttalk.info/european_charter.pdf), accuse EU governments, among other things, of affirming rights in theory only to forget them in practice; of including them in electoral manifestos only to forget them when in power and of limiting rights on the basis of financial constraints.
Strong accusations indeed, though it is conceded by the same charter authors that realities vary from one member state to another and that this instrument is intended as a tool of harmonisation of national health systems.
Naturally, when reading the document, my thoughts turned to the local scene. Generally speaking, I do not think Malta fares that badly when measured up against the 14 principles listed in the patients’ charter. In Malta, we are lucky that, apart from private health-care services, which have developed considerably in recent years, we enjoy generous welfare that extends to free medicine schemes, health centres, a modern national hospital and even schemes catering for treatment abroad where not available locally. The Ministry for Health’s official website ( https://ehealth.gov.mt/ ) also seems to uphold the principles by, for example, promoting prevention and seeking to raise standards as well as imposing high standards of care on the private sector (in its capacity as regulator). There are also laws in Malta protecting privacy, including laws on professional secrecy.
Of course, there is always room for improvement in every system, even in a generous one like Malta’s.
We learn about different shortcomings, from various sources: we read in the press about failings in the health service; the parliamentary Ombudsman has highlighted shortcomings too, including unjust discrimination against patients aged over 75 requiring statins, the need for public hospital waiting lists to be managed fairly and transparently, recommending compensation to a lady who was injured in an ambulance, etc (www.ombudsman.org.mt/index.asp?pg=caseload).
A number of successful court actions for damages (like Sammut v. CGMO, Court of Appeal, October 12, 2006) also indicate the system is not perfect, that shortcomings exist, that mistakes occur.
One hopes the criticism is taken on board, lessons are learned and the service improves.
In my opinion, a step in the right direction would be for the Maltese health authorities to draw up an official charter, based on the European Charter of Patients’ Rights, and publish it on their website also making copies of it available in public health centres and in hospital.
The drawing up (and implementation) of such a charter at national level will reflect well firstly on the authorities themselves, reaffirming their commitment as service providers towards their client: the patient.
Let’s face it, none of us are immune from having an accident or falling ill. The best health service possible, sooner or later, will benefit us all.
To mark European Patients Day in Malta, a forum will be held by the Malta Health Network on April 18 between 4 and 6.30 p.m. at the Multi Purpose Hall, St Vincent de Paul Residence, Luqa.