The Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin today made it clear it was not prepared to sign the health Private Public Partnership until it sees the actual contract.

In a statement, the UĦM said the original contract needs to be made public and then scrutinised by the National Audit Office.

The Gozo, St Luke’s and Karin Grech hospitals will formally transition to their new private owners over the next two months. The company that was chosen as the preferred bidder in June last year for the public-private partnership will be injecting €220 million in a total revamp of the three hospitals.

UĦM assistant director Gian Paul Gauci gave a rundown of the negotiations carried out by the government but raised a number of questions, including the actual lease term agreed with Vitals Global Healthcare over the Gozo Hospital. He also said claims that Vitals was approached before the actual tender would need to be verified.