Maltese taxpayer will pay Vitals nearly €70 million a year for hospital beds

Leaked copy of Vitals agreement with Maltese government reveals cost of mandatory condition for State to take out 712 beds every year from hospitals it is leasing out to private consortium

VGH has been entrusted with revamping the St. Luke's (pictured), Karin Grech and Gozo hospitals
VGH has been entrusted with revamping the St. Luke's (pictured), Karin Grech and Gozo hospitals

The private consortium granted a concession for three state hospitals will be paid €188,000 every day – €68.5 million a year – to provide hospital beds to the State, a leaked copy of the Vitals Global Healthcare contract leaked to the Sunday Times has revealed.

VGH will run the Gozo, Karin Grech and St Luke’s hospitals for a 30-year concession that binds the Maltese government to purchase at least 712 beds a day from the company for €68.5 million a year. If the number of beds is surpassed, it will pay a higher rate per bed, in line with medical tourism prices.

A heavily redacted copy of the agreement signed by former health minister Konrad Mizzi was tabled in Parliament last October following intense pressure by the Opposition.

Taxpayers will also pay different rates on each type of bed, depending on the department they fall under: acute healthcare will cost the State about €75,000 a day, or €27 million a year, geriatric beds will cost €88,000 a day – €32 million per year – while some 80 rehabilitation beds at St Luke’s will cost €9 million a year.

VGH is bound to invest some €220 million in hospital facilities.