St Luke’s Hospital has partially opened its doors again this morning to accommodate patients of two wards and ease the burden on Mater Dei Hospital.

Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia had not ruled out such a possibility last month.

Asked this morning, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat did not deny that beds from St Philip’s Hospital, which closed down two years ago beause of financial difficulties, were being moved to St Luke’s Hospital to create two new acute wards there.

The government, he said, is looking into several possibilities to improve the health sector and the decision will be made known to the public in the coming days.

The beds are being transported the short distance between St Philip's and St Luke's to be used by patients in acute wards.

The World Health Organisation, in a report, said that Malta needs an additional 500 beds to be able to cope with demand.

On Thursday, Mepa approved the building of two storeys above the present emergency department to create more space.

Ministry statement

In a statement the Health Ministry sad that the ward in question is located near the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy departments and was used as a Day Care Unit. The ward has been properly equipped. 17 patients requiring long-term treatment, who have been selected according to established criteria, will be transferred to the ward.

This means that 17 Mater Dei Hospital patients who are currently waiting for a rehabilitation bed will be transferred to Karen Grech. 

Not the way things should be done - MUMN

In reaction, nursing union president Paul Pace said that this is not the way things should be done, especially in the health sector.

He said that nurses were removed from other departments or health centres and were given a two-month contract, only to be asked when the time elapses to return to the department they worked at. 

He said that this decision was taken at the detriment of patients.

“There is no planning whatsoever, and the government was tackling issues on a day to day basis without consulting with unions beforehand,” he said.