Less than two weeks before Mater Dei Hospital is scheduled to open officially, the Medical Association of Malta (MAM) and the government are still negotiating doctors’ working conditions, but MAM secretary general Martin Balzan is reasonably optimistic that discussions will soon end successfully.

At the end of last month, MAM began increasing pressure on the government, claiming it “would not be wise to begin the migration process to the new hospital before negotiations were concluded.”

Contacted by The Malta Independent yesterday, Dr Balzan explained that two aspects must be taken into consideration.

The first was the fact that migration of all members of staff at the general hospital will not be immediate.

The second is that MAM wants the government to commit itself on a long-term basis that the health system will be improved.

During an extraordinary general meeting the association held on 27 May, members agreed not to begin the migration process from St Luke’s to Mater Dei Hospital unless negotiations were concluded successfully.

Dr Balzan said that while an agreement had been reached on certain matters, the crucial issue is mainly doctors’ working conditions at the new hospital.

There are more operating theatres at Mater Dei than there are at St Luke’s Hospital and there could be the possibility of operations being held in the afternoon, said Dr Balzan, adding that it was important to make full use of the new hospital’s potential for the benefit of both doctors and patients.

“We are confident that we will reach an agreement regarding doctors’ conditions, as long as there is a certain level of goodwill,” he said.

Dr Balzan added that MAM was also insisting on the need for structured training for junior doctors and prospects of career progression for established doctors.

The way things currently stand, junior doctors are forced to specialise abroad and this factor is contributing to brain drain in this sector, he said.