Recently I had to undergo a short period of time at the Mater Dei hospital and I must say that the nursing staff, together with doctors and consultants, perform sterling work with each and every patient under their care. Despite the obvious fact that they are understaffed, they make extra effort to be of service to one and all. If they were with full complement, this service would be less stressful and tiring to them. I am sure that all those who had this experience share my words of praise.

Unfortunately, one cannot say the same when it came to picking up the pills that the doctor ordered once I was discharged. The pharmacy section needs a big overhaul so that it will be of service to those who need certain medicine from the same hospital. There are great distances from the wards to the pharmacy section and one can imagine the great hassle it is to walk long distances, especially for those with walking problems.

First of all, when one enters the section one finds a long queue of people waiting to be served. Inconveniences continue to increase when one has to pay for certain medicines because the billing office is too far away so the walking distance continues to increase. One then has to return to the pharmacy to collect the medicine prescribed. Imagine how furious one becomes when, following a mistake by one of the serving staff, I had to walk the distance twice!

Why cannot the billing office be placed adjacent to the pharmacy so that one can make use of it without so much trouble? The excuse I was given is that, for security purposes, the two sections cannot be near each other. In my opinion this is all bureaucracy. Most of all, it is of great inconvenience to the people who need to be served.

Henry Calleja

St Julian’s