Mater Dei Hospital’s administration has reacted to a news conference held earlier today by shadow health minister Claudette Buttigieg about the death of a patient in the hospital’s corridors.
The Malta Independent was not invited to attend the news conference, which was held at 6pm. It was addressed by Mater Dei CEO Ivan Falzon and clinical director Joe Zarb Adami. It is understood that a number of media organisations were contacted by phone by a government official to attend.
Reports in other media said that an investigation has been launched into the death of the woman involved.
Ms Buttigieg said today that the equipment needed to save the woman’s life was not available in the corridor, which links the Emergency Department to the Medical Imaging section.
This, she said, was a serious case that could not be ignored and added that the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Chris Fearne, needed to give a clear explanation.
Earlier
An elderly woman receiving care at Mater Dei Hospital, yesterday died in the corridor leading from the emergency department to the medical imaging department.
Dr Buttigieg stressed that the medical staff did all they could to save the woman's life, however the lack of equipment in corridors might not be enough to deal with emergency situations. CPR trolleys, defibrillators or suction systems are not available in the corridors, and these could have been used to save the woman's life. The PN MP also said that information indicates that this might not be the first of such case.
The PN MP stressed that the hospital has become overcrowded to the point that patients in corridors now extend from the emergency department to the out patients ward. In addition, patients are being placed just outside the children's casualty areas, which could be traumatising for the young ones. Each day, hundreds of people frequent these corridors by foot. "What about the dignity and privacy of such patients?" the shadow minister asked, adding that the patients are not being properly bathed, but merely cleaned using wipes.
"How safe is it for patients to be kept in corridors? How possible is it for a medical team to deal with such situations without the necessary equipment at hand?" Buttigieg asked health parliamentary secretary Chris Fearne.
"The government promised to implement a plan of action to address bed shortage at Mater Dei Hospital. It also promised to collaborate with private hospitals to tackle the situation. So far, no private hospitals have been contacted, and no plan of action is evident."
The shadow minister added that the medical staff at the hospital is exhausted with having to deal with their daily duties and overcrowding in the corridors. " A holistic approach is required, but this needs to be properly planned ahead. During the summer months, in the run up to the cold season, a number of elderly patients should be transferred to elderly homes, to vacate beds."
Meanwhile, The Union for Midwives and Nurses is proposing that medical rounds by doctors are carried out during the day, and not just in the mornings, so any potential patients can be discharged.
PN issues statement
Meanwhile, after the Mater Dei press conference, the PN issued a press statement saying that Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne was shying away from the media and instead of addressing the press conference himself, decided to pass the buck onto the hospital management. The PN said it was still waiting for answers from Dr Fearne.