Unions file judicial protest calling for publication of Vitals Global Healthcare agreement

Unions representing healthcare professionals have filed a judicial protest calling on the government to make public an agreement signed with hospital concessionaires Vitals Global Healthcare, who have taken over the management of a number of hospitals.

Union Haddiema Maghqudin and the Medical Association of Malta are urging the Prime Minister to publish an agreement between the Government and Vitals Global Healthcare over the operation of Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital, St. Luke's Hospital and the Gozo General Hospital, warning that government's intransigence was seriously hindering the conclusion of negotiations and any eventual agreements.

The two unions, UHM on behalf of Allied Health Professionals and the MAM as representative of the doctors working there, have repeatedly requested to be shown the agreement.

They argue that they owe it to their members not to conclude their negotiations with government “blindfolded.”

In a judicial protest against Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Health Minister Chris Fearne, OPM Minister Konrad Mizzi - who was previously responsible for health – and the Directorate for Health Care Services Standards, the unions point out that in the last few days, Vitals Global Healthcare had published a call for applications for the employment of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social workers as well as a call for a consultant in the field of emergency medicine.

These professionals will be working alongside members of both unions, the protest, which was filed by lawyer Ian Spiteri Bailey this morning, explains.

The unions argue that although their negotiations with the government are yet to be concluded, parallel negotiations between government and Vitals Global Healthcare have carried on regardless, despite the discussions with the unions needing to be concluded beforehand.

The Government's behaviour is inconsistent with the principles of good sense and industry practise, the unions argue, because it is negotiating with the unions about a matter of public interest on the basis of a secret agreement.

“In the light of this, it is immature, premature and above all, unacceptable to the undersigned unions to see the Government of Malta authorising and allowing Vitals Global Healthcare to continue to prepare for its operation of the aforementioned hospitals, more so when there is no public record that Vitals Global Healthcare is in possession of the necessary statutory permits and licences according to law.”

The protest calls on the government to publish the relevant agreements, send all contracts to the Auditor General for due diligence to be carried out and to ensure that Vitals Global Healthcare has been legally issued with the necessary licences which should not have “simply been issued for the sake of convenience.”