Doctors will refuse to meet with the US company taking over the running of three State hospitals this week and will instead decide whether to take industrial or even legal action against the government.

Steward Healthcare is expected to be “on the ground” in the next few days to take over from Vitals Global Healthcare in the management of the St Luke’s, Karin Grech, and Gozo General hospitals.

“No, we will not meet with Steward. We are being kept in the dark, we must see the contract signed between the company and government and be informed of what is going on,” Martin Balzan of the Medical Association of Malta told this newspaper.

“At the moment it appears as though this deal is bad news,” he said.

At the moment it appears as though this deal is bad news

He said the MAM executive council would be meeting on Monday night to discuss its options and would not exclude potential industrial action, even a full-blown strike.

If this was insufficient, MAM would even consider taking the matter before the courts “to ensure patients and medical professionals’ best interests come first”.

The transfer between Vitals and Steward was announced last month and a series of media reports have said that VGH was facing mounting financial difficulties, failing to meet key milestones, and racking up debt with suppliers.

Reports on the company’s poor state of financial health were also coupled with questions over its ultimate beneficial owners, who were never disclosed.

VGH eventually sold its 30-year concession to manage three State hospitals just 21 months into its operation.

Once a deal with Steward was all but signed, Health Minister Chris Fearne took to Twitter to announce how “the real deal” would now be managing a large chunk of the island’s healthcare.

However, despite Mr Fearne’s optimistic diagnosis, MAM believes the Steward deal could likely suffer the same fate as Vitals.

“We are concerned that we could still be in the same mess we were in under Vitals. The deal is simply a mess and should be scrapped and a new one drawn up,” Dr Balzan said.

He accused the government of putting its efforts to try and save face over the national interest.

“Look, even if the government really believes that entering into a Public Private Partnership to run these hospitals is the best option, it must realise that the deal it struck with Vitals was not working – keeping that same deal simply doesn’t make sense,” he said, adding that he expected more transparency and consistency from Steward than he had seen from Vitals.

QUESTIONS RAISED IN PARLIAMENT

Asked about the possibility of a doctors' strike, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said in parliament that the government would do everything possible for common sense to prevail.

Opposition leader Adrian Delia asked about the government's involvement in the talks between Vitals and Steward/

Dr Muscat said that while he would not go into details, the government's role was to ensure that whoever was running the hospitals respected the rights of the people of the government. The commercial side was negotiated exclusively by the companies involved.

Dr Delia asked whether the government was aware of the commercial dealings before giving its approval.

Dr Muscat said the transition was conditional on government consent. However he did not attend any meetings and did not know what was discussed between both sides.

Dr Delia asked if shares had been sold or whether a sub-emphyteutical grant had been made.

Dr Muscat said he did not have the file, but Dr Delia could ask the Health Minister in writing.

Dr Delia asked whether it was minister Konrad Mizzi or minister Chris Fearne who ascertained that the practical sides were guaranteed by the opposite sides.

Dr Muscat said that contrary to the Opposition, the government trusted its members.

Dr Delia asked if the government has ascertained if safeguards were given in writing.  

Dr Muscat said he did not have the details.

Dr Delia said Vitals had not adhered to yardsticks laid down in its contract. Would the government consider rescinding the contract as a result?

Dr Muscat said he did not agree with the way how Dr Delia had based his question.

Dr Delia asked if the prime minister was aware of the serious problems in the structures of Vitals.

Dr Muscat said he was well aware of the structures on the health service which the government had inherited. The government was ensuring that the private sector invested heavily in a modern health sector, to the benefit of the people.

Dr Delia asked if the prime minister was aware that an MOU had been signed with Vitals before the actual call for expressions of interest was issued.

Dr Muscat said the MOU was over a proposal made by Vitals and that was discarded as it was not in line with government plans.  

Did the prime minister agree that Steward were 'the real thing' as Mr Fearne had said.

The Prime Minister said the company had a strong record in the United States. Therefore he shared the deputy prime minister's enthusiasm.