St James Hospital in Tarxien is expected to open its doors in just around four months if everything goes to plan, after a variety of permits, studies, and also archaeological findings delayed construction by 12 years.

Minister for Health Chris Fearne was given a tour of the hospital while it is in ‘Phase A’ of its construction.

With an investment of €15 million, the structure covers an area of 6,400 square meters and is spread on three floors. The hospital will contain 24 beds and 23 consulting rooms with a variety of other available services such as a pharmacy, radiology department, dental clinic, physiotherapy & rehabilitation, and a plastic, cosmetic surgery & dermatology unit.

It is expected that around 60 jobs will be created from this project, after which the older facility in Zabbar will be transferred to the newer building, and finally closed.

According to the St James Hospital Group’s chairman Josie Muscat, this change of location was due to the fact that the current location in Zabbar was starting to act as a limitation, and was causing them to fall back in so far as innovations.

The idea behind the hospital, Muscat pointed out, was to not present itself as a place which patients associate with being sick, but as one which they can feel comfortable and relaxed.

Fearne explained how the private sector is an important aspect to the Maltese health system as various services are shared with the public health system such as the various MRI machines available for use, and dentistry services.