News • 20 July 2003

Suspended former MLP junior minister accused of withholding money owed to private hospital

MaltaToday story on overcharging and excessive fees vindicated

MaltaToday’s investigations of Professor Louis Buhagiar appear to be finally vindicated with the revelations that the former parliamentary secretary and Labour MP stands accused of withholding money owed to St Philip’s hospital. The evidence that is surfacing from the hospital reconfirms MaltaToday’s position in the court proceedings instituted against this newspaper by Buhagiar. What MaltaToday stated about the former Labour junior minister appears to be correct.

The Labour MP, who refuses to speak to this newspaper, is best remembered not only for ignoring the Malta Labour Party’s policy of boycotting Xarabank, but for the alleged excessive fees charged to foreign patients visiting Malta.

Talking to MaltaToday the Chief Executive at St Philip’s, Dr Frank Portelli said the hospital’s decision to suspend Dr Buhagiar was taken after much consideration and a careful examination of the facts.

MaltaToday contacted the Chief Executive of St Philip’s hospital, Dr Frank Portelli, to explain why Prof Louis Buhagiar was suspended from St Philips Hospital

"I have been receiving complaints from various sources of repeated excessive professional charges to patients, behaviour which was bringing private medical care in disrepute, and which resulted in a loss of contracted work," Dr Portelli told MaltaToday.

"I personally investigated some of these complaints and found that they were justified.

"About 10 days ago I was informed that Dr Buhagiar had received and retained funds sent to him in error by a patient 9 months ago.

"These funds did not belong to Dr Buhagiar, who had been paid for his services. The funds belonged to the hospital and to other professionals for services rendered to this same patient. Dr Buhagiar denied having received these funds - amounting to Lm 1,219."

"St Philips Hospital only discovered something was amiss when we commenced legal steps against the patient in the UK, action which we had to take since we had not received the fees more than 12 months after rendering our services.

"Our legal services in the UK sent me a copy of the transfer Swift BARCG B22 691726 showing that the money had been transferred to an HSBC Account in Zurrieq and the name of the account being the Centre for Medical Assistance (AC number 7840 69427).

"I confirmed that the Centre for Medical Assistance in Zurrieq is in fact Dr Buhagiar's clinic. This was therefore irrevocable evidence of totally unacceptable behaviour if not outright criminal misappropriation of funds. Certainly not the standards the hospital expects."

Dr Portelli stated that on discovery of these facts he had few options: "I had no option but to safeguard the good reputation of the hospital. I felt it my duty to inform colleagues and also St James/Capua of this situation.

"It is for these reasons that Dr Buhagiar has been suspended from St Philips Hospital. A painful decision, but one that was absolutely necessary."

"Suspending a Doctor from a private hospital is no light matter. To my knowledge this has happened only on one other occasion, in the last eight years - since the opening of St Philips Hospital," Portelli said.

"Most specialists and consultants are self employed professionals and not in the employ of private hospitals. Consultants enjoy what are termed admitting privileges to private hospitals - that is they are allowed to admit patients and treat them.

Dr Portelli told MaltaToday the reasons for suspending Dr L Buhagiar from St Philips Hospital were explained to Dr Buhagiar verbally and subsequently by letter.