Steward Health Care submits development application for St Luke’s Hospital

Steward Health Care Malta has submitted an outlined development application for the St Luke's Hospital campus following nine months of planning and stakeholder meetings. 

In a statement on Saturday, Steward Health Care said that it held regular dialogue with the Planning Authority, the Environment and Resources Authority, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and Transport Malta. 

"A patient-centric approach was applied in all planning decisions and as a result, the development application will reveal a campus transformed from the current environment into a modern and integrated health campus with an emphasis on meeting clinical requirements, improving patient access, enhancing the experience for patients, their families and staff," the statement read.

In October, Steward Health Care had categorically refuted claims that it is planning to leave Malta should it not receive more funds from the government to carry out the obligations of its hospitals concession agreement. It reaffirmed its commitment to the hospitals project.

The National Audit Office had also confirmed in October that agreements between Vitals, the company to which initially the hospital contract was awarded, and Steward Health Care was under investigation.

Commenting on the submission of the development application, President of Steward Health Care, Nadine Delicata, said that the redevelopment of St Luke's hospital centred around a full revival of the building.

"At the broadest level, the redevelopment is centred on a full revival of the St Luke's Hospital building, increasing the quality and accessibility to open space and gardens within the campus grounds, enhancing community cohesion by integrating the main entrance and Pjazza St Luqa, and establishing a more coherent internal circulation system which provides on-site parking while strengthening safe access to the public school," she said.

Delicata has been the Gozo General Hospital's CEO since 2013 before also heading the Steward executive committee.

Steward Healthcare announced that it would begin unveiling plans for St Luke's in the coming weeks.