‘Health minister took the initiative to ask for my help’ – Dalli

In light of John Dali's review of Mater Dei Hospital's patient administration system, the former European Commissioner for health insisted that health minister Godfrey Farrugia had taken the initiative to request his help.

"I accepted the post as a national issue and after being asked by the Prime Minister who acted upon the initiative of Godfrey Farrugia."

After Farrugia said that the report does not represent the government's stance, Dalli argued that the Minister had voiced its position during preliminary meetings.

"During his introductory remarks in the seminar, the Minister had insisted that the report doesnot necessarily reflect the stance of the government."

Dalli, a former health minister, was appointed by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to carry out a review of the hospital's administration. But his less-than-satisfactory report was met with particular wariness by the government who insisted that Dalli's report does not reflect the government stance. The nurses' union MUMN also lambasted the report after Dalli called for the change work practices.

The former minister also said the Prime Minister had requested him to put the report findings in writing.

"I initially reported the findings during a meeting with the Prime Minister, after which I was requested to put these in writing. When one makes a review it is obvious that one reports his findings."

The Former PN minister also said that he accepted to make a review on a voluntary basis and that he did not take any executive position in the health ministry or at the hospital.

Meanwhile, the former EU commissioner conceded that he has been left in the dark on whether he will be involved in the implementation of the recommendations of the report.

"I am not part of the government, and consequently, the decision to implement the recommendations is to be borne by them."

With regards to the cancellation of the hospital lT tender, Dalli said that there is confusion between a €25million contract and the PAS system.

"The €25 million contract had been in the process of adjudication for over two years.  The process had been stopped my MITA and has not been reissued, let alone awarded to anyone."

Dalli also argued that the ministry was informed that the PAS system was not to be supported any more by the suppliers after the end of the year and the ministry was told that the only option was to have an update at the cost of €2.5 million,

"Instead, the IT consultant in the ministry took it upon himself to develop a new system instead of the archaic one in use, and this without getting any extra payment.  Even in the face of enormous hurdles he managed to develop the system that will be rolled out next week, well before schedule.  In the process, the Maltese People saved €2.5 million," Dalli concluded.