News | Sunday, 04 October 2009

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21-hour reduction in health centre opening times

James Debono
The government has slashed the total number of hours in which Malta’s 43 health centres are operational from 234, to 213 hours a week.
While the opening hours of nine health centres have been extended, 19 health centres have seen their opening hours reduced.
The health centre which benefited most from the changes was the Birkirkara health centre, which has seen its opening hours extended by 4.2 hours a week.
This health centre was the most frequented in the first four months of the year, when it was visited by 6,005 patients.
Health centres in Sliema and Zejtun have also seen opening times increased by two hours.
On the other hand the Hamrun health centre, which has seen a weekly reduction of 3.5 hours, was the worst affected by the reform. This health centre is the second most frequented health centre in Malta, with 5,849 visiting it in the first four months of 2009.
Clinics in Naxxar, St Paul’s Bay, B’Bugia and Marsa have seen their opening times decreased by three hours.
Replying to a question by Nationalist backbencher Jean Pierre Farrugia, Minister John Dalli revealed that the change in opening hours was conducted after a detailed analysis on the activity in each clinic. “Opening hours were reduced or extended on the basis of a review of attendance in each clinic over the past three years,” Dalli replied.
The Health Minister also claimed that the changes were conducted in the best interest of the patients. According to Dalli, studies have also shown that the average time required for each check up was four minutes.

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