Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne said that Steward Health Care informed the government that it will be 'abandoning' the hospitals' concession almost immediately.

Speaking to the Times of Malta outside Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne said that Steward "told the government that they (Steward) will be abandoning the operation of the hospitals practically immediately, this week. The health department has long been prepared, and is prepared, for the operations of the hospitals to fall under it," he said. Asked again, he said that Steward said that they will be abandoning the concession in the coming days. "Naturally the hospitals need to continue operating and we are prepared for continue that ourselves."

Fearne said that his focus remains on the health service and its delivery. "I can assure the patients that the hospitals' healthcare services will continue at the level of excellence we are used to."

Earlier today, Steward Health Care Malta (SHCM) said it has given notice to the government to terminate the Services Concession Agreement and related contractual framework following what it described as "breaches of commercial agreements". The concession agreement included the management and operation of St Luke's, Karin Grech and Gozo General hospitals and the Barts Medical School, Steward said, without giving a timeline.