10 years ago - The Times

Monday, February 9, 2009

Relatives urged to take care of post-op patients

The Parliamentary Secretary for Health Joseph Cassar yesterday called on relatives of patients recovering from operations to care for them at home in order to free up needed hospital beds.

“I appreciate that this may require sacrifices, such as taking leave from work, but keep in mind that this would mean freeing a bed for someone else in need,” Dr Cassar said during a public dialogue meeting at the Nationalist Party Club in Paola.

The shortage of beds has worsened since the migration from the old hospital in 2007, as there are now, at 850, fewer beds at the new Mater Dei Hospital. Dr Cassar said the government was hoping to tackle the problem through the building of a new rehabilitation hospital where patients would be able to spend their recovery period.

This should free beds taken up by people who do not need to remain at Mater Dei, he said. Until then, he urged people to help those relatives who are well enough to leave hospital and recover at home. His call is reminiscent of an appeal for help made to relatives of bed-ridden patients in the summer of 2007 when nursing aides, health assistants and care workers in hospitals and homes for the elderly took industrial action.

25 years ago - The Times

Sunday, February 9, 1994

Cabinet adopts ethics code for ministers

A code of ethics for ministers and parliamentary secretaries, first announced in November in the publication of the white paper entitled ‘The Change Continues’ was approved by the Cabinet on Monday.

A copy of the code was laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by the Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami yesterday.

The code is divided into 60 paragraphs under seven headings – the cabinet, parliament, ministerial responsibility, the civil service, the constituency, travel and private interests.

Dr Fenech Adami said that the purpose behind November’s white paper was to bring about institutional change aimed at greater decentralisation and transparency of government.

It was true that many of the principles contained in the code were not new.

Going briefly over the contents of the code, Dr Fenech Adami said a definition was for the first time being given to the term ‘private interests’ and ministers would upon their appointment submit a declaration of their interests and assets to the cabinet secretary.

If a minister decided to publish his recollections, the government was proposing that approval would first have to be given by the cabinet secretariat.

Half a century ago - Sunday Times of Malta

Sunday, February 9, 1969

Language laboratory presented to University

Mr I. P. Allnutt, the British Council Representative, has presented a new 16-booth Cybervox language laboratory to the Vice-Chancellor of the Royal University of Malta, Prof. E. J. Borg Costanzi.

The laboratory is housed in an annexe of the Department of English at the University of tal-Qroqq. The main room contains a large console for controlling the work of students in each of the 16 individual booths, which are arranged in four banks of four booths each.

Żebbuġ Civic Committee holds protest meeting

The first public meeting ever to be held by a Civic Committee in Malta was held yesterday at St Philip Square, Zebbug.

The meeting was held in protest against the layout of the De Rohan Gate Roundabout and urging that the building of the Zebbug Football Ground be taken in hand as soon as possible.

Speakers at the meeting were Mr Salvu Attard, member of the Committee and Mr Joseph Attard, Vice-President of the Committee.

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