The government yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

The agreement was signed at the Health Ministry in Valletta by the Permanent Secretary for Health, Frank Mifsud, and the Permanent Secretary for Education, Francis Borg, on behalf of the government, and by Terence McWade, Deputy Chief Executive and Fintan Foy, Associate Director for Academic Affairs, on behalf of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

Education Minister Louis Galea and Health Minister Louis Deguara were both present.

The memorandum acknowledges the request made by the RCSI to the government to establish a centre in Malta to offer a Graduate Entry Programme in medicine, to set up a medical school in Malta with access to patients and facilities within the health sector in Malta, and to develop initiatives and cooperate in areas of post graduate structured clinical training and clinical research.

The parties acknowledge that during the ensuing discussions the welfare of the patients must at all times take precedence and be safeguarded by all parties, their staff and students; that clinical teaching may be carried out in public and private sector facilities; that the RCSI is a recognised educational institution with its main activities in the field of medical and surgical education, training, consultancy, research, and health service provision; that the RCSI shall have the resources to provide and source such professional education, training, development, consultancy and certification; and that the standards within RCSI Malta will conform to the standards required in Malta and by Maltese legislation.

The memorandum is valid for one year from the date of signing and regulates the way the government shall take discussions forward to explore a possible agreement for the establishment of an RCSI centre in Malta.