The Health Ministry is planning to replicate the model which has seen the creation of the Ċensu Moran Regional Health Centre in the north of Malta, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
More than 190,000 patients have received healthcare services at the Ċensu Moran Regional Health Centre since it began operating in September last year, as it continues to expand the range of specialised and diagnostic services available within the community.
The Ministry said that through this Centre, the Government is providing several medical and professional services, as it continues to invest in further developments, including the introduction of a CT scanner and the establishment of a Medical Investigation and Treatment Unit (MITU), alongside a number of other new services.
During a visit to the Centre, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Ian Borg met with its management, healthcare professionals and staff, who provide services to thousands of patients every day.
Together, they discussed the Centre’s development over the past year and plans to continue expanding its services, enabling patients to receive high-quality care closer to their communities. At the same time, the Ċensu Moran Regional Health Centre continues to reduce pressure on Mater Dei Hospital.
The Deputy Prime Minister also announced that the Government has begun studying plans to replicate the Ċensu Moran Regional Health Centre model in the northern region of the country.
“Here we are seeing genuine synergy between primary and secondary healthcare, enabling more people to receive high-quality services closer to home. This Centre is improving the patient experience by bringing more services together under one roof, and we will continue introducing additional services in the months ahead. At the same time, we are closely monitoring the development and performance of this new model as we want to establish similar services in other parts of the country in the future,” Deputy Prime Minister Borg said.
Dr Michael Farrugia, Medical Administrator of the Regional Health Centre, explained that the Centre now offers a comprehensive range of primary and secondary healthcare services, including a GP Walk-in emergency service, X-ray services, an ophthalmic operating theatre, treatment rooms, and a wide range of specialist outpatient clinics.
He added that the Centre continues to expand its capacity for day procedures. Since January this year, 1,516 pain management procedures have been carried out, while 135 eye operations have been performed through the ophthalmic theatre since July. In the coming months, several additional services will also be introduced, including dermatology, ENT, dental, and orthotics clinics, advanced cardiac investigations, and further specialised oncology and paediatric services, among others.
“At the Ċensu Moran Regional Health Centre, we are bringing more specialised healthcare into the community. Many services that were previously available only at Mater Dei Hospital are now being provided from this Centre, while patients also benefit from Primary HealthCare’s urgent care services. This means less pressure on the hospital, shorter waiting times and healthcare that is delivered closer to where people live,” concluded Dr Farrugia.