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Health Ministry admits MDH tent decision lacked sensitivity
Health Ministry says discussions on the tent proposal should have been more ‘sensitive and prudent’ towards the patients and their families.
11 January 2014, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
2 min read
The Health Ministry admitted that a decision to move the reception of Mater Dei's day care unit under a tent in the car park lacked sensitivity.
24 hours after workers were seen erecting a tent and a marquee outside the day care unit - only to be ordered to be pulled down by the Prime Minister - the ministry said "discussions on this decision should have been more sensitive and prudent towards the patients and their families".
The ministry said the structures were to be completely removed today.
In its statement, the ministry also referred to the challenging hospital situation it had inherited, quoting bed shortages.
"The hospital lacks the necessary bed numbers to cater for present and future demands. The ministry is currently taking both temporary and long-term measures to increase the number of beds," it said.
Hospital beds increased by 48 during 2013, set to increase by 52 other beds this year and 68 beds next year. The parliamentary secretary for the elderly also embarked on public-private partnerships to increase 47 beds in Livelife.
A total of 300 beds will be added in private residences.
"The Ministry also notes that Mater Dei increased its efficiency and improved the turnover of social cases."
It insisted that the tent set up was a temporary measure, one of the "several solutions that the administrations is considering to avoid postponing day case operations".
The ministry said Mater Dei will be forced to increase its acute beds by 22 in the immediate present because of the demand. The tent, it added, would have been removed immediately after.
"Meanwhile, the ministry is looking at all possible ways to make sure that the service provided by the day care surgery will not be affected, as happened in the past, by the increase in demand expected in the coming weeks."
A call for offers has been issued just in case day case operations would have to be transferred to private hospitals, in order not to postpone any operations.
The ministry reassured it was also looking into more permanent solutions so that the problem of bed shortages would be addressed with a structured plan.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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freda, where did you get that impression from the above write up?? The conclusion I reached is that the Ministry had inherited a disaster of Mater Dei proportions from the PN; and it is at loggerheads to improve conditions as fast as possible for the benefit of Maltese patients. Many times, practically and efficiency do not go well with politics, and I feel Muscat had the MEP elections in mind when he reacted the way he did. Anyway, Minister Farrugia came out of this episode as a person that will listen to a reasonably presented counterpoint, even though it means reversing what he considered good maneuvering to solve old PN created problems.
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So the minister does not know what the ministry is up to? Oh! Because he s very busy bilhaqq! Co ordination my foot!
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Who was responsible for the tent farce? Is it somebody who thinks he can run Mater Dei like a fishmonger shop? Where has accountability gone? Make him pay the expenses for renting the wretched tent, just as the consultants (sic) who drew the plans for the transport reform disaster should be sued to pay back their consultancy fees? ARRIVA's main mistake was to trust the self styled transport reform gurus of AG and Co!
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Mater Dei read Mater Dejn is another fiasco left by the PN! It needs more beds but in 1997 when the then Labour gov't submitted a request for another 2 floors to be added to create more wards and beds the PN stooges sitting on the MEPA board voted against and only one additional floor was built! Just imagine the situation if this additional floor was not built! I recomend a medal Gieh ir republika to whoever planned this state of the farce hospital!
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Ministry not Minister, the fat cats strike again, the old guarding are succeding to make the Minister look foolish. Hallihom jafgu basta ghamlu festini.
