‘Phenomenal’ mismanagement at Mater Dei costing ‘exorbitant’ sums – PM

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat described the level of mismanagement at Mater Dei Hospital as “phenomenal” saying that this was costing taxpayers “exorbitant” sums of money. Interviewed on One this morning, Dr Muscat said that from the review being carried out at Mater Dei, it transpired that this hospital was being run like “a headless chicken”. However, Dr Muscat expressed his optimism that with the right organisational set up in place the situation could improve. Referring to the issue of out of stock medicines, he said that the situation was not acceptable. The Prime Minister said that disorganisation and the procurement system were to blame, remarking that even simple changes to the yellow card, used to get free medicines, were not being tracked. He said that patients who were ordered new medicines, were still receiving the old ones even if they did not need them anymore. Dr Muscat said that such negligence at Mater Dei “verges on the criminal”. The Prime Minister said that Government has commissioned a review of the medicines’ procurement, heaping praise on the Health Commissioner who took the initiative and compiled a report. Dr Muscat said that in the coming weeks a number of...