Mater Dei Hospital's emergency department should be reserved for those who genuinely need emergency treatment. This is not to deny anyone access to healthcare, but to ensure that patients receive the right care at the right time, without unnecessary pressure being placed on a hospital that already has to deal with a substantial demand for its services.

The 1400 medical helpline is a sensible initiative that can help achieve this objective. By allowing people to speak to doctors and nurses who can assess their symptoms and advise them on the most appropriate course of action, the service can prevent unnecessary visits to Mater Dei while directing patients towards healthcare facilities closer to their homes.

Yet a good service is only effective if people know about it, remember it and use it when necessary. This is where the government needs to do more.

Since July 2025, the helpline has assisted more than 59,418 people, an average of 124 patients a day. These figures demonstrate that there is a demand for the service and that it is already making a contribution. But the government should not assume that the public will automatically remember to call 1400 whenever a medical problem arises.

For many people, the instinctive response to a health concern is to go straight to Mater Dei Hospital. It is the country's main public hospital, and people naturally associate it with receiving medical attention. Unless they are regularly reminded that an alternative exists, they may continue to turn up at its emergency department even when their condition could be dealt with elsewhere.

The government should therefore promote 1400 much more frequently through public information campaigns, health centres, pharmacies, community organisations and the media. The message must be straightforward: call 112 in a genuine emergency, but contact 1400 when experiencing a minor medical problem or when uncertain about where to seek treatment. Repeated reminders can help make this the normal response rather than an option people remember only occasionally.

There is, however, another complication that cannot be ignored. The traditional relationship between patients and their family doctors has changed considerably over the decades, making it more difficult for people to find the personal medical service that was once commonplace.

There was a time when a family doctor knew several generations of the same family, understood their medical histories and could often be contacted when someone was unwell at home. The doctor was not simply someone consulted during an appointment, but a familiar professional who understood the patient's circumstances and could provide continuity of care.

That relationship is much less common today. Finding a doctor willing and available to make house calls is increasingly difficult, while visiting a private clinic does not necessarily mean seeing the same doctor who treated the patient previously. Patients may find themselves explaining their medical history repeatedly to different practitioners.

This makes the idea of directing people away from Mater Dei more complicated. People need to know not only where they should go, but also that they can obtain reliable medical attention without having to navigate an unfamiliar system every time they become ill.

Strengthening primary healthcare must therefore involve more than improving infrastructure, introducing digital systems and expanding diagnostic tests. These measures are important, but patients must also have confidence in the accessibility and continuity of the services being offered.

The planned improvements to health centres, including more efficient appointments for non-urgent cases and real-time information about waiting times, are welcome. They can make community healthcare more practical and reduce the temptation to head straight to hospital.

Ultimately, the 1400 service should become an established first point of contact for people who are unsure where to seek medical assistance. That will require investment, effective organisation and, above all, consistent public communication.

Reducing avoidable pressure on Mater Dei is in everyone's interest. But the public cannot be expected to change its habits simply because a useful service exists. The government must ensure that people remember it is there, understand how it works and trust that it will help them receive the care they need.