Mater Dei reaches public-private deal on loaning of medical equipment

The Health Ministry has entered into a public private partnership agreement over the loaning of medical equipment between Mater Dei Hospital and private entities.

The deal was announced in a government press statement. The protocol now establishes the terms and conditions of the loaning of equipment and fees.

In July, Sunday newspaper Illum had revealed that a protocol between Mater Dei Hospital and private hospitals allowed the loaning of medical equipment from the public hospital to private hospitals, at no cost.

Through the agreement, medical equipment will be loaned to the private at a set cost. In "rare occasions", Mater Dei can also rent equipment from the private entities.

"Before this agreement was reached, Mater Dei used to loan the equipment without any financial income for the Health Ministry," the health ministry said.

The former two-year-old protocol had only been utilised by St James Hospital with the ratio of equipment loaned said to be at 400:1 in favour of the private hospital.

The ministry said the new protocol covers the loaning of equipment to Mater Dei in cases of emergencies. This would mitigate the risk of cancelled interventions.

The protocol establishes the evaluation of the equipment before and after usage and further transparency in how equipment is loaned.