Throughout the years Malta earned the title of ‘Nurse of the Mediterranean’ by acting as a recovery centre during the wars and more recently during the Libyan conflict. This remarkable historical recognition was achieved due to the continuous oustanding professionalism of our medical and allied staff through the decades.

This achievement in the local history of medicine and care triggers my Ministry to further consolidate this bond – a bond between the medical staff and the patient. This vision triggers my ministry to strive to introduce the concept of health in all policy while introducing a strategy that safeguards a whole society, focusing on the service accountability and offering that quality care aimed at reaching as much as possible the point of excellence and free service to be enjoyed by one and all.

We maintain that every patient has the right of choice in a national framework of public-private health mix. In the public sector our major strategy will be focused on the integration of this framework in a single administration offering the Maltese and Gozitans the same playing field in services.Thus the various levels of health care evolve in a coordinated management and consolidate the patients and their families as the fulcrum within the service.

As Minister I maintain that only through this strategy that one can guarantee accessibility, equity, quality and sustainability, because my government strongly believes that the annual expenditure in health results in growth friendly measure.

My ministry will next year launch the national health system strategy which will be discussed and drafted with the participation of the public. This will expose plans which take off in 2015 and will lead us through to 2020.

Our target is to spread our wings to cover as many patients as possible, particularly those most in need of care. Our aim is to make every available resource at our disposal in an efficient and sustainable way.This concept has to be engineered at the same time as my ministry will continue to ameliorate the quality of the service and driving ahead towards a care model more focused on and spread among the community. This is the roadmap my government will be  following during this legislature.

My Ministry is committed to strengthen both the public primary and private care with the ultimate aim of offering the choice at the disposal of the citizen.

Undoubtedly, every health scheme must offer the highest of qualities which will be financed in a sustainable way thus guaranteeing free and instant service. However, this sustainability must be fuelled by corporate governance, management coordination in every health sector including the public and private sector, the promotion of healthy and active lifestyle, and the prevention of disease through screening, among others.

Human resources is also a vital part within the corporate governance. These resources should be better motivated and encouraged to give their fullest service for better results. Informatics will be given even more importance not only to analyse the service but also to create the success for more accessibility in the service and therefore more equity within the larger picture.

One has to admit that these are not only our challenges but of bigger European countries. In itself a challenge can be translated into an opportunity and my ministry will spare no effort to maximise this opportunity.

Governing sustainability in the health sector needs one to be able to perform cost savings but not cost cutting while at the same time one is capable to generate financial income from services that do not fall within the free health care bracket.

As I have explained while addressing the health vote in Parliament, this year’s budget is not just addressing the status quo but is launching new services... a budget of €444 million, with an additional €38 million, representing 9.3% increase over 2013.

This budget is investing in health aimed at offering a patient centric quality care experience of excellence. We are committed to invest in the well-being of our people and therefore we are giving importance to healthy diet and active lifestyle.

We will be encouraging further food and nutrition policy, a national strategy on obesity, a first-ever national plan for diabetes as well as national startegy addressing healthy sex.  The budget also caters for vulnerable groups suffering from rare diseases and is giving attention to those suffering from multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and deficit hyperactive disorder.  We also planned to stock blood for those with rare group.

When one tackles the health sector he has to keep in mind that care shall be personalised, continuous and comprehensive and consider the training aspect in its whole spectrum in various disciplines. We will be on the lookout for research which results in novelty.

One of the quotes by the celebrated British social reformer and statistician, and the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, says: “The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm.” This we will keep in mind.. not only that, but we will guarantee the sick every imaginable possibility to recover in best professional and modern way... as is our duty.