Matthew Vella Alternattiva Demokratika, the Green Party, yesterday said it was raising its doubts on the intentions of government’s proposed reforms for the health system.
The primary healthcare scheme is intended to create a gatekeeper tier for GPs and GP practices that will have to refer patients, against payment, to health centres and hospitals for treatment.
Bernardette Mercieca, AD spokesperson for Health, said: “Whilst it is positive to have a centralised network for doctors, and whilst we support proposals for more involvement of family doctors, we cannot support proposals which reduce universal access to free primary health care offered by the State.
“The introduction of means-tested mechanisms to assess who cannot afford to pay for health service will only result in further inequalities, increasing hardships on many families who are already paying for health care through their national insurance payments. Introducing fees might act as a deterrent to people and risk having small health problems such as infections escalate to more serious problems.”
The reform also includes centralising patients’ medical histories with registered GPs for ease of communication between hospitals and family doctors.
Michael Briguglio, AD Chairperson said: “It would have been more fruitful if government focuses on improving management on health care, whilst tackling wasteful practices in the sector. Are government’s reforms planned at further dismantling primary health care offered by polyclinics?”
Briguglio said that Mater Dei should be available for patients for longer working hours and that polyclinics, rather than being further dismantled, should also be used as specialist centres, in addition to centres for primary and secondary care. “Above all, proper attention should be given to the problem regarding long queues, which is resulting in many patients having to opt for private services for urgent needs.”
Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below. Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.
