The council of the Medical Association of Malta has decided that pursuant to the dispute declared on 29 July, it will proceed with the proposed industrial action as from Thursday 6 August 8.00 up to midnight of Wednesday 12 August.
Should a satisfactory agreement not be reached MAM may extend the duration and/or introduce new directives.
The industrial action was due to start last Monday, but MAM postponed its decision as a meeting with the health authorities was scheduled for Tuesday.
Malta is currently in the thick of a new epidemic caused by mass events which is leading to around 15 new cases per day amongst the local population, and has already been blacklisted by 4 EU countries. Rather than control the epidemic the government of Malta, against the advice of the superintendent of public health has decided to forge ahead with multiple mass events including those for thousands of people, MAM said in a statement.
Furthermore, parties and standing up events similar to the party at Radisson can still go ahead. What all the other EU countries are strictly prohibiting, our authorities are doing exactly the opposite, MAM said.
Very basic guidelines with many loopholes based on self-assessments have been introduced and enforcement to date has been weak.
These parties carry a grave risk of a large spike in cases, especially amongst vulnerable groups posing unnecessary risks to healthcare professionals. Many more EU countries may decide to blacklist Malta if the numbers continue to increase, further damaging the economy.
All mass events should be stopped immediately, MAM said.
The directives, which were updated on Wednesday afternoon, are as follows:
Mater Dei Hospital
1) From Thursday 6 August, all Mater Dei outpatients appointments are postponed. This directive will remain in force for one week.
2) All elective surgery will be postponed from Thursday 6th August. All urgent and cancer surgery is exempt from this directive.
3) All elective ultrasound lists are postponed from Thursday 6th August. This directive will remain in force for one week.
4) Cardiology procedures which are considered urgent or to be performed on patients at high risk should not be cancelled
5) All doctors in the Accident and Emergency Department are exempt from directives
6) All vulnerable doctors are to avoid frontline work and to report for administrative or telephone duties.
7) Patients who have had their outpatients appointment cancelled may be contacted by phone by the respective Medical team
8) Anticoagulation clinics are exempted both in hospitals and health centres.
Health Centres
1) All 42 Community Clinics will remain closed and no General Practitioners will attend. This directive will remain in force for one week
2) All Health Centres will set up a triage desk which will be manned by a doctor at all times.
3) On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 August, only the Health Centres in Mosta, Floriana, Paola and Rabat (Gozo) will open. All doctors assigned to satellite Health Centres are to report to the main Health Centres on these days.
4) All doctors are to wear PPE in all clinical areas
5) All diabetic and medical consultant clinic appointments will be postponed or held by telephone
6) All vulnerable doctors are to avoid frontline work and to report for administrative or telephone duties.
7) Anticoagulation clinics are exempted both in hospitals and health centres.
8) Elective procedures at all Health Centres shall be cancelled
Gozo
1) From Thursday 6 August, all Gozo General Hospital outpatients appointments are postponed. This directive will remain in force for one week.
(Doctors working in Oncology, psychiatry, geriatrics and paediatrics are exempt)
2) All Community Clinics (bereg) will remain closed.
3) All patients will be triaged at the Rabat Health Centre. Non urgent appointments will be postponed.
4) Outpatients which are cancelled may be contacted by phone
Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre (SAMOC)
All Doctors in SAMOC are exempt from directives
Mount Carmel Hospital and community psychiatry
All Doctors in psychiatry are exempt from directives for now.
Public Health doctors and doctors working in swabbing centres.
Exempt from directives due to pandemic
Karen Grech Hospital, Geriatrics and Rehabilitation Medicine
Exempt from directives.
Obstetric outpatients (Not gynaecology)
Exempt from directives.
Elective surgeries to be performed in Gozo General Hospital shall be postponed except for urgent surgery and surgery for cancer
Anticoagulation clinics are exempted both in hospitals and health centres.