The government will soon find out if it has been successful in its bid to buy St Philip’s Hospital.
“A final decision on the successful applicant is expected in the next few weeks,” St Philip’s Hospital chief executive Frank Portelli said when contacted.

Earlier this year, the hospital had issued expressions of interest through Galea, Salomone and Associates for the acquisition of suitable property for the hospitality or health sector.

The government had applied to buy the hospital because the health authorities were planning to open a new facility for rehabilitation services, Health Minister Joe Cassar had said in Parliament.

“Following a public invitation for an expression of interest we received a number of applications which we are evaluating,” Dr Portelli said.

While pointing out that St Philip’s was being used for day care services, he said the hospital was undergoing restructuring.

The government formally expressed its interest in the building after Dr Cassar proposed to Cabinet the possibility of exploring whether it was more financially viable to buy the property rather than build a rehabilitation centre from scratch.

Dr Cassar had said the government was carrying out a technical evaluation on the building, costs and its potential for expansion since it only had space for just over 100 beds.

Last October, The Sunday Times had reported that the government was considering hiring facilities at St Philip’s Hospital to tackle the bed shortage at Mater Dei and reduce waiting lists.

With four operating theatres and 110 beds, the private hospital in St Venera could solve almost half the bed shortage problem at Mater Dei, which is estimated to lack 240 beds.