[WATCH] Health minister insists MAM was consulted on emergency outsourcing

Updated at 5:35pm with MAM response

Health minister Jo Etienne Abela has labelled claims that the Medical Association of Malta (MAM) was not consulted about the outsourcing of certain emergency services as “a lie.”

Abela was fielding journalists’ questions following news of MAM directives mandating that all patients, regardless of case severity, be admitted to Mater Dei Hospital. 

On Sunday, all three private healthcare providers involved in the public-private partnership, as well as Abela himself, voiced their concern over the directives, with Abela calling the move a “heartless action.”

On Monday, MaltaToday asked the health minister to explain how the planned outsourcing would be carried out. He explained that only emergency cases with a low level of severity would be referred to the private hospitals at the government’s expense, adding that some €14 million were allotted to the service. 

Abela stated that the move had been in the works for almost a year, and that he had spoken with medical professionals in 2024.

“The first discussion that I personally had with the MAM about reforms in the emergency department was on 27 February of last year.” He also recalled two meetings with the MAM in May, where he explained the reforms to Mater Dei Hospital staff.

“If someone says that they didn’t see it coming, it’s a lie,” he stated.

Additionally, he stated that the public-private partnership was the topic of two discussions on TV that were held between himself and PN health spokesperson Adrian Delia, noting that even Delia was on the same page as him.

Explaining how the deal would work, Abela said that patients would first arrive to Mater Dei’s emergency department and would be assessed. The minister said that cases that are “not complicated” would be referred to private hospitals.

Abela spoke of a parallel situation in the UK, where private hospitals were not accepting such transfers, leading the UK government to employ nurses just to treat patients in hospital corridors. “I cannot have €14 million in the bank and leave patients in corridors,” Abela said.

Addressing the MAM’s directives, he noted that the union irregularly announced directives without first declaring a trade dispute. He added that government’s industrial relations negotiators are in contact with the MAM, “but this is a case of an emergency,” he stressed.

MAM denies that consultation took place

Later on Monday, the MAM stated that no "meaningful discussion" took place between them and the minister. 

The MAM said that while a number of courtesy meetings were held, "no discussion took place," adding that an impromptu meeting was held after they informed members that the minister is legally obliged to obtain written consent from MAM before any public-private partnership. Despite this, the MAM said that the discussion focused on IVF procedures.

The union then defended their directives impacting the emergency services, stating that they held discussions with the Permanent Secretary for People and Management and said that it was Mater Dei Hospital's management that was at fault as, "working conditions were changed without prior notice."

The MAM further defended their actions by stating, "No union will accept changes in working conditions which exposes its member to serious legal risks before prior agreement, and this is completely in line with industrial disputes."