“Malta is fast becoming the capital of sun, sand and septuagenarians,” according to Broadsheet, the international publication of City & Guilds.

In its latest edition, Broadsheet, a specialised international publication on the vocational educational sector, reports that as Malta’s reputation for elderly care is growing almost as fast as Europe’s elderly population, demand for trained staff in care roles across the island is increasing at a very fast pace.

It reports that Malta is capitalising further on its medical expertise, establishing itself as a world leader in specialist care for the elderly. It reports how City & Guilds qualifications in specialised care in Malta are helping to ensure that the services provided are reliable,

consistent and of a high level.

There are also reports on how Care Malta Group has become by far the largest private care provider for the elderly. It quotes Care Malta Group Human Resources Manager Charlo Bonnici, explaining that there are already 15,000 foreign elderly residents in Malta and the growth trend is evident. In November 2009, Care Malta became the first company in Malta to offer specialised courses in health care with City & Guilds certification. As of February, Care Malta has also launched the City & Guilds Diploma and the Specialist Diploma in Health Care, with plans for more courses in the future.

The publication reports that the next challenge for Malta is how to manage the increasing number of dementia patients. There are already 4,500 foreign elderly sufferers of dementia receiving care in Malta, and the growth trend is set to continue.

It says that Care Malta was the first private company in Malta to invest in developing a privately-owned, purpose-built facility for the elderly in Mosta in 1993, and then later in Rabat in 1996. Care Malta was also the first private company to closely collaborate with the government in developing Malta’s first Public Private Partnership (PPP) in elderly care at Zejtun in 1994. This PPP relationship continues to develop very successfully, to the extent that Care Malta today operates two other government-owned facilities, in Cospicua (opened in December 1999) and Mellieha (opened in March 2008). With the Mellieha Home, Care Malta Group managed to win the largest ever PPP contract yet awarded for a 30-year concession period to fund, build and manage a ‘state of the art’ home capable of accommodating 154 residents. The Group also operates the Prince of Wales Apartments in Sliema, Malta’s first Independent Living facility for the elderly.

Broadsheet concludes its article by remarking that “Malta’s reputation as a nurse of the Med looks set to continue.”