Doctors’ union expresses full confidence in PSC inquiries

Malta's doctors' union has expressed full confidence in the conclusion of the inquiries of the Public Service Commission which revised selection board results for five consultants' posts at Mater Dei Hospita

The Medical Association of Malta requested five enquiries on the result of five selection boards, one in Ophthalmology, and four in General surgery of which one was in Gozo. In all five cases the PSC upheld MAM's representations and determined that the selected candidates were either not specialists under EU law, or had not practised two years as a specialist in an EU country.

As an EU country, Maltese law requires all practicing specialists to be registered with the Medical Council of Malta, on the recommendation of the specialist accreditation committee which vets all applications from Maltese, EU and Non EU members. The MCM and SAC are the recognised regulatory authority established in the EU directive, and Maltese law.

Eligibility criteria for the employment of consultants and designate consultants with the Health Ministry were agreed in 2007. Calls are formulated by the human resources department at the ministry, then vetted by the OPM's human resources department before being sent to the PSC.

At its own discretion the health ministry sends the applications to MAM to verify legal conformity.

MAM president Martin Balzan said the PSC inquiry had determined that the calls were accurate and clearly reflected EU and Maltese law, and agreements between MAM and the ministry.

"While it should be very simple for selection boards to verify whether the name of a specialist is listed on the specialist register or not, it is most unfortunate that the date of completion of training and the date of registration is not included in the specialist register. MAM has already written to the Medical Council on this unfortunate shortcoming," Balzan said.