Selection boards appointed to select consultant surgeons could not do their job properly because of conflicting clauses in the calls for applications, the Health Ministry said today.
The ministry said there were divergences between the sectorial agreement the government had with the Medical Association of Malta and the law which regulated health professionals.
The department was obliged to follow the agreement, which was superceded by the law.
The ministry said discussions have been held between the Public Service Commission, the Health Department and MAM to revise and amend these clauses to come in line with the law, after which the calls will be reissued. The Attorney General was also consulted.
The board to select a consultant surgeon specialising in hepato pancreato biliary surgery was chaired by Godfrey Laferla and its members were Mark Schembri, Clem Imrie and Andrew Xuereb.
The board to select a consultant surgeon specialising in lower gastrointestinal surgery was chaired by Godfrey Laferla and its members were Kevin Cassar, David J Galloway and Andrew Xuereb.
Both these boards recommended the appointment of the candidate who came first in the selection process but no appointments were made.
The third board had to select a consultant surgeon specialising in upper gastrointestinal surgery.
It was chaired by Godfrey Laferla and its members were Dennis Gatt, Chris Russell and Andrew Xuereb.
In this case no recommendation was made as no candidate was selected.
The fourth board was appointed to select an ophthalmic consultant surgeon specialising in anterior segment surgery and glaucoma.
The board was chaired by Thomas Fenech and its members were Wagih Aclimandos, Jan Janula and (Labour candidate) Franco Mercieca.
Labour candidate among members of selection boards - PN
Mr Mercieca was a member in one of the selection boards Labour leader Joseph Muscat made serious but false allegations about, the PN said in a statement.
Would Dr Muscat be taking action against him, if he was convinced of the allegations, it asked.
Mercieca says he had raised issue within the board
In a reply, Mr Mercieca said that he had raised the issue of ineligibility of one of the candidates as he was not on the specialist register.
The chairman, however, had insisted that the list of candidates to be interview was issued by the PSC and the board was obliged to assess the candidates and grade them according to their qualifications and abilities.
He said he had also noted that it was the first interview he was involved in for which a representative of the PSC was not present.
Minister should shoulder responsibility - PL
Following this declaration, the PL said that Health Minister Joe Cassar should shoulder responsibility.
GonziPN was trying to taint a member of one of the boards because he was a Labour MP when Mr Mercieca had warned that one of the candidates was not in the specialists’ register.
If this was a problem for the government, he should have no difficulty removing Dr Cassar, who was the person responsible for the system.
The PL said this was also another attempt for the minister to hide the fact that one of the underqualified specialists selected was Minister Dolores Cristina’s son-in-law.