Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne said in Parliament this evening that 1,100 elective operations were cancelled in the first nine months of 2014.

Putting this figure into context, Dr Fearne said 50,000 operations took place during the same period.

He said the cancellations were not done frivolously, and most of them were cancelled either because the patient did not turn up or was not in a condition to be operated on.

Around 1,500 elective operations were cancelled in 2013 and 1,400 in 2012 he said.

He said the government has sought to ensure that Mater Dei’s resources are used better.  

Dr Fearne said surgeons were often on site and ready to operate but unable to do so due to a lack of nursing staff.

Discussions are under way with the MUMN, the nursing association, to increase working hours of nurses in operating theatres.

The same problem was encountered with anaesthetists, and new anaesthetists are being employed.

Operating theatres used to close at 2pm or 4pm he said, but will now be used in the evening as well.

On mental health care, Dr Fearne said efforts have been made to take this care to the community, reducing the need to refer patients to Mount Carmel mental hospital.

Services are being provided to family members as well in order to help them support their relatives.

Under the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme, 130 medicines were out of stock under the previous government. As of last week, only three medicines were out of stock Dr Fearne said.

Asked by PN MP Claudio Grech whether the government is considering using retractable needles to reduce to risk of people coming into contact with used needles that have been carelessly disposed, Dr Fearne said a number of measures are being considered.

Retractable needles cost more money he said, and the government is considering ways in which to mitigate the danger of used needles.