John Dalli to be given Mater Dei reform role

Former European Commissioner John Dalli is to head a reform body within the administration of Mater Dei Hospital, informed sources said today. Mr Dalli had a meeting with the prime minister yesterday, after which Dr Muscat indicated that Mr Dalli would be given an executive position within the government. A reform of the administration of Mater Dei was a challenge which Mr Dalli set himself when he was appointed Social Policy Minister in 2008, with responsibilities that included health. In a speech in January 2009 he had pledged a "revolution" at the hospital aimed at tackling the growing problem of waiting lists for operations. He had also said that the government could not tolerate a situation where no system existed to indicate  where medicines were going. He had challenged the way surgeons and consultants worked and said practices needed to be changed and Mater Dei could no longer be a part-time hospital.