The MAM doctors' union said today it 'may' direct health centre doctors not to do house calls as from next Monday.

It said there has been a large seasonal surge in patients calling at health centres and thus, a considerable increase in workload. Doctors are doing their best to cope.

Calls for house visits are screened for their urgency and their justification according to established guidelines so as to be ensured that health centres are still adequately manned when doctors are out on calls.

However it was disappointed that the authorities had not publicly defended the doctors after one sided reports in a section of the media apparently condoning unacceptable behaviour where unnecessary house visits are requested only as matter of convenience without any clear medical indication, topped up with uncalled for abusive language.

"MAM finds it completely unacceptable that on one side health centre management asks doctors to prioritise house calls, and then fails to defend them publicly. MAM invites the health ministry to strongly condemn verbal abuse of public officers doing their duty and to prosecute those responsible. It also invites it to explain its policies to the general public rather than foment unreasonable expectations by its silence where a clear condemnation was expected," the union said.

It was a pity that a few selfish and irresponsible individuals were allowed to disrupt and compromise the public GP service to the detriment of the whole community, the MAM said.