The hospital IT system developed in-house could be the government's major flaw of this legislature, according to Opposition health spokesman Claudio Grech.
He said the negative consequences of this decision could be felt "for years to come".
"I asked for information in Parliament and the replies were simple one-liners... The minister said the system was so reliable that no maintenance agreement was necessary because it could be maintained internally," Mr Grech, said, adding this did not bode well for such a critical IT system.
Mr Grech was speaking this morning as he presented "a critical review" of the health sector.
He said the review, which contained positive and negative elements, was "evidence-based" and not a personal attack on the minister.
An overall assessment showed that the government's handling of the health sector in its first year fell short of patients' expectations. "The government has limped from one crisis to another," Mr Grech said.
The instability created by uncertainty over the future direction has weakened management, he added. The first year of the administration was characterised by unclear strategic direction, he added. "There was very limited vision for the sector... high-level cliches with no tangible flow-through to patient benefits."
This showed that Labour had no plan in the health sector "let alone a roadmap", he said.
On the bed shortage crisis at Mater Dei Hospital, Mr Grech said no measures were taken to strengthen the community, tertiary and rehabilitation functions that would have alleviated the burden on the country's only acute general hospital.
He expressed regret that the St Philips Hospital project - the previous government wanted to lease the hospital as a rehabilitation hospital - was discontinued and remains in limbo.
"No additional beds in the tertiary sector [were created] and the dedicated rehabilitation facility concept was not followed up," he said, adding that a strategic mistake early on in the day was the split between primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare.
Mr Grech also noted that consultation with unions was ineffective and this led to strained relations with the MUMN.
"The Johns Hopkins report was side-lined hence seeking to re-invent the wheel through more and more reports," he said, adding the Opposition wanted the report to be published.
While noting that arrangements with the private sector to carry out certain medical interventions such as cataracts were stopped last year on the excuse that the budget had been absorbed in the first three month, Mr Grech said the expression of interest to renew the services this year was only issued yesterday.
He was also critical of appointments that were based solely on the basis of trust rather than merit but desisted from mentioning the names. He urged the government to change direction on this aspect. "If in the past there was a little meritocracy, under this government this has finished."
On the positive side, Mr Grech said the enactment of the Health Act - supported by the Opposition - the provision of chemotherapy services in Gozo and radiology services in twilight hours, and the provision of additional medicines for specific deserving conditions were positive steps. He also highlighted that a number of projects that started under the PN were also continued.
Mr Grech, who has been shadowing the health sector since August, was also self-critical in his review. The PN could have been a stronger voice to "steam-rolled" employees and focussed on specific issues of interest for small groups, he said.
"We also could have challenged the status quo more... It is as if there are sacred cows that should never be touched, even under previous Nationalist administrations," Mr Grech said.
He was accompanied by PN MEP candidate Kevin Plumpton, who was critical of the way the mental health sector was treated.
"A small glimpse of how this sector was politicised is the fact that during a Christmas party the Labour Party anthem was played and Mount Carmel Hospital was used to castigate employees with PN leanings by transferring them to the hospital," Mr Plumpton said.
He said a crisis intervention team made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses to provide immediate help at Mater Dei Hospital if needed was transferred to a Santa Venera office.