Internal Gozo Hospital documents prove the authorities tried to cover up the death of a heart patient due to the unavailability of a helicopter to transfer him to Mater Dei Hospital for treatment, Chris Said said on Wednesday.

The Opposition MP tabled in Parliament two leaked documents apparently written by medical personnel tending to the patient after he was admitted to the Gozo Hospital at 10am on August 24 with symptoms of a heart attack.

One of the handwritten records states: “since helicopter not working, fastest way is through ferry to give TPA today then transfer for angio tomorrow morning”. The other includes the note: “no helicopter service”.

Dr Said has said the patient suffered another heart attack at 4.30pm, by which time the helicopter had finally arrived. The patient subsequently passed away.

The government has said an internal inquiry found no shortcomings in the helicopter service.

“These documents prove that a patient’s death was covered up with the help of a sham inquiry,” Dr Said told Parliament. “This is just one example. Other lives have been lost because of negligence at the Gozo Hospital, but people are scared to speak up.”

Speaking during a debate on the Gozo Ministry's budgetary estimates, the Opposition MP reiterated his criticism of the privatisation of the only hospital in Gozo, which he argued had resulted in a lower standard of care.

Rumours that Steward Healthcare, which took over the concession agreements from previous operators Vitals Global Healthcare, were also on their way out indicated that there was a “serious problem”, he added.

Dr Said also criticised the new Barts Medical School anatomy centre, which he said would replace a taxpayer-funded health centre which offered specialised services for Gozitan children.