Mater Dei’s CEO gets ‘verbal warning’

Mater Dei Hospital CEO Joe Caruana was given "a verbal warning" after he went out on leave shortly after issuing an internal notice informing doctors that all elective, non-essential surgeries were to be postponed.

A spokesperson for Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia said that Caruana also "apologised" to the permanent secretary for the way the matters were handled.

At the same time, the Health Ministry admitted that Caruana's leave was taken so he would be able to travel abroad for health reasons.

"Although Mr Caruana's visit abroad was for health reasons, he has apologised to the Permanent Secretary and was also given a verbal warning," the spokesperson said.

On Sunday, MaltaToday reported that while the hospital was crippled with overcrowding, Caruana went out on leave, leaving the hospital's superintendent in charge.

A few days before, Caruana was called for a meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister during which the shortage of beds crisis was discussed. The meeting was held while both Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and the Health Minister were abroad.

To tackle the crisis, Caruana decided that the 'best' option would be to postpone non-essential surgeries to a 'quieter' time.

According to the health minister, the decision - which he only came to know about from the media - was not taken by Castille but by the CEO.

Farrugia had insisted he not been informed that operations were to be postponed, even though he had since returned to Malta. "Such lack of communication is unacceptable, because at the end of the day I am responsible for decisions taken in health."

He also took umbrage at the fact that Caruana went out on leave without first informing him. "I only got to know by coincidence," Farrugia said.

Since the role of an acting CEO does not exist, Caruana left the hospital's leadership in the superintendent's hands. However, Farrugia believes that the CEO should have cancelled his leave.

"The first thing I do in moments of crisis is to return to base. That is my opinion and I believe that protocols should be in place regulating such occasions," he said.