Steward Health Care hits back: Adrian Delia claims do not do justice to investment done

Steward Health Care says Nationalist MP Adrian Delia deliberately left out key projects when criticizing the company on Monday

The ortho gym at the newly refurbished Physiotherapy Department in Karin Grech Hospital (Photo supplied by Steward Health Care)
The ortho gym at the newly refurbished Physiotherapy Department in Karin Grech Hospital (Photo supplied by Steward Health Care)

Steward Health Care have hit back at statements made by Nationalist MP Adrian Delia over the company's investment in three hospitals that it runs.

Delia on Tuesday ridiculed a court document presented by the company in which it listed how it spent €60 million. The PN MP had initiated court proceedings to get the hospitals concession contract annulled and have the three buildings returned to government. The case is ongoing.

“Dr Delia’s deliberate act of omitting key projects and investments made in the last years in the three hospitals does not do justice to the hard work of SHCM’s team and its stakeholders,” the company said on Thursday.

The Nationalist MP and former party leader said rather than accept a request for a site visit to see the investment undertaken by the company as part of its contractual commitment, Steward submitted a document with photos to illustrate how the money was spent. Delia highlighted several small projects and ridiculed the company's efforts.

However, the company said the report was presented in court “to demonstrate the significant amount of work and many millions invested by SHCM to upgrade services, infrastructure and equipment at the hospitals.”

“SHCM believes that both the large, significant and more visible projects outlined below as well as the so called “smaller” projects quoted by Dr Delia are equally important when running a hospital,” the statement read.

According to the company, key projects left out by Delia include a state-of-the-art campus in Gozo to house the London School of Medicine complete with an ancillary anatomy centre, an overhaul of the Stroke Unit and the Physiotherapy Department at St Luke’s Hospital and the introduction of a 24/7 air ambulance service between Malta and Gozo.

It also mentioned a number of COVID-19 related investments such as the purchasing of up to 25 COVID-19 ICU beds complete with ventilator setup, and a 28-bed ward complete with negative pressure and the required air changes.

Other projects were also listed in SHCM'S media release. 

“These achievements prove SHCM’s ongoing commitment to improve the quality of its services for the benefit of patients, staff and the communities it serves,” it said. “SHCM is focused on delivering exceptional and sustainable health care and will continue doing so.”

READ ALSO: Tear up Vitals hospitals contract, Adrian Delia tells government

Steward Health Care took over the hospitals concession from Vitals after the latter company failed to live up to its commitments. The privatisation has been mired in controversy since Vitals had no track record in the medical field and a report by the National Audit Office slammed the tendering process.

Steward is locked in talks with government over renegotiation of contractual obligations.