Reading The Malta Independent on Monday(October 20) it was interesting to see the interview with parliamentary secretary Mario Galea, in which he talks about the government’s vision for community care based on meeting people’s needs.

As someone visiting my favourite island in the Mediterranean from Wales, where I work in mental health, we already do a great deal of what Mr Galea proposes for Malta.

I would concur with what the Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care said about understanding people’s needs but key to patient care and good service delivery is having a strategy as well as investment and resources.

Deploying community nurses working in partnership with medics and support staff already exists in parts of the UK. In North Wales, where I live, we have created the country’s first adult mental health partnership where health and social care teams work together collaboratively. We also have a very active involvement by people who use the service and their carers to get constructive feedback and ideas.

What we in Britain term “primary care” where family doctors and community nurses treat patients in the surgery is often the first point of contact with the health service. The vision for the future is very much community-based so people in need can readily access services.

Mario Galea’s experience as a nurse obviously helps with his government portfolio. However, for Malta to adopt new ideas and ways of working, greater investment will be needed to implement changes.

Ian Davies

via e-mail