Castille denies Fearne will continue seeing patients at Mater Dei

The Office of the Prime Minister has denied reports that incoming parliamentary secretary Chris Fearne has been granted a waiver to continue seeing patients at Mater Dei Hospital.

Reacting to reports published in the media, the OPM said preparations are underway to appoint a new consultant paediatric surgeon to replace Fearne.

A consultant by profession, Fearne will however continue to see four children who became his patients before he was informed of his appointment.

The Office of the Prime Minister said the children were acute patients.

“The four children will remain under Chris Fearne’s care until their medical problems are resolved,” the OPM said in a statement.

Following Saturday’s Cabinet reshuffle, the Labour MP was appointed parliamentary secretary for health, within Konrad Mizzi’s health and energy ministry.

The OPM insisted that Fearne will stop seeing patients both in private and public hospitals now that he has accepted the Cabinet post.