Government launches overhaul of hospital's emergency area

Restructuring for Mater Dei emergency ward announced

A €1.2 million overhaul of Mater Dei's emergency area will lead to a noticeable decrease in waiting time, energy and health minister Konrad Mizzi has announced.

The 12-month plan, which was devised by all the relevant stakeholders including nursing staff and consultants, includes structural changes and introduction of several measures, including the setting up of a separate emergency for minors.

Waiting time will be decreased to a maximum of four hours, down from the actual average of 6-7 hours.

In order to achieve this, upon registration patients will be told where to go since half of the emergency cases require attention from separate specialised units in Mater Dei.

Furthermore, those who are referred to the emergency department will be seen by the Rapid Medical Assessment Team, which will carry out tests that are evidently needed.

"For instance, a patient with a broken arm would undergo an X-ray immediately, instead of waiting the GP to have this. We believe this earlier medical contact will increase efficiency and curb waiting time, which in some cases reached 17 hours," parliamentary secretary for health Chris Fearne explained.

He said that although this problem was inherited for several years, this was unacceptable for the government.

Health Minister Konrad Mizzi added that separate key projects were being devised to tackle other challenges of the health sector, such as bed shortages and stock medicines.

Dr Maryrose Cassar, chairperson of the emergency department, explained that the reorganisation of the structural layout is expected to provide more room, while GP clinic patients would now have no need to enter the core area of the emergency department. 

"As much as possible we want to avoid patients with different medical needs mixing with each other. In this context, a separate emergency for children is a positive step," Cassar noted.

She also announced that Area one - the unit with the major emergency cases - will see the introduction of a circular central desk where doctors and nurses can have a clearer overview, instead of the current separate stations.