Fibromyalgia clinic opened at Floriana health centre

A Fibromyalgia clinic has been opened at the Floriana health centre to better help serve fibromyalgia patients and improve their access to quality health care, the government has announced.

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne, announced the opening earlier today and he expressed his gratitude to the trained multidisciplinary team who worked hard to make this milestone possible.

Fearne explained that this clinic brings with it a real opportunity to extend a reassuring safety net to fibromyalgia patients once they are diagnosed.

“Run by trained clinicians, supervised by rheumatology consultants, this clinic aims at providing continuous reassessment and assurance, supporting fibromyalgia patients to lead as normal a lifestyle as possible,” Fearne said.

The clinic follows on the heels of the Health Department recognising fibromyalgia as a chronic illness last year.

“Patients are now entitled to free medicines available on the government formulary via the schedule 5 route.”

Fearne added that regular fibromyalgia clinic hours run Fridays between 13:00 and 18:00 and that plans are underway to rotate the clinic to other health centres.

Ruth Debono, President of The Fibromyalgia Association said that this was another step in the right direction.

“Patients with this condition need a point of referral and a more patient based treatment which will be achieved by the introduction of this clinic,” Debono said.

Fearne thanked all the staff at the Rheumatology Department at Mater Dei and those within the Primary Health Sector, who had worked hard to achieve these results.

He also underlined the commendable efforts being undertaken within Primary Health to enhance the range and frequency of services afforded through health centres and peripheral community clinics such as the cardiology outreach clinics running at Floriana and Mosta, as well as plaster services now being conveniently provided at Floriana, Mosta and Paola Health Centres with the aim of diverting patients away from Mater Dei.