Government paying €1.2 million to Steward for Barts Medical School, Chris Fearne confirms

Over a 30-year concession, government will pay out €36 million to Steward Healthcare

Health Minister Chris Fearne has confirmed that government is paying €1.2 million per year to Steward Healthcare to make use of the Barts Medical School.

Responding to a parliamentary question, Fearne said that the infrastructural facilities and equipment, stipulated in the contract between government and the Queen Mary University of London, was built and funded by Steward Healthcare Malta.

However, the building is leased out to government for €1.2 million per year so that it can be used as a medical school.

This sum rises with the inflation rate, provided that the rate increases by no less than two percentage points per year.

Asked about the ground-rent for the land in question, Fearne said that Steward pays government €525,000 per year for the lands passed on to it.

It is unclear whether the amount covers the Barts campus or all property managed by Steward in Malta and Gozo.

The minister further confirmed that government intends on building a helipad in the new general hospital in Gozo.

The Barts Medical School project was initially entrusted to Vitals Global Healthcare, as part of a deal which saw the consortium also take control over the management of St Luke's Hospital, Karin Grech and Gozo General Hospital.

After running into financial problems, VGH ultimately sold its contract to Steward Healthcare.