National reform programme 2008-2010 Malta - European Commission

Containing public health care expenditure through enhanced efficiency
Public health expenditure will be contained by means of:
• promoting responsible service utilisation through information campaigns, more
utilisation of health centres;
• setting up of operational and financial control systems to ensure better resource
utilisation and allow management to have access to the necessary information to
exercise appropriate financial planning and control;
• enforcement of entitlement mechanisms; and
• investment in ICT as an enabler for change and process re-engineering.
Improving access to services
The Maltese Government will improve access to services by
• creating a framework for patients rights;
• enhancing information on health services;
• reducing waiting time for interventions;
• providing better access for residents of Gozo; and
• providing access to hospital patient data from the primary care setting.
Creating an environment that supports foreign investment in health services
The Maltese Government intends to:
• promote Malta as a centre for health care education and training as part of Vision 2015;
and
• provide an effective yet supportive regulatory environment for the pharmaceutical sector.
Pharmaceuticals create knowledge-based jobs using high technology employment and
access to global markets.
New Health Care Act
A new Health Care Act will replace the Department of Health (Constitution) Ordinance (Cap.
94). The Act aims at safeguarding and improving public health, promote a comprehensive,
sustainable and better-value-for-money-spent health service anchored on the principles of
social solidarity and equity.
The draft Act was cleared through the Cabinet`s Social Policy Subcommittee and a revised
draft was submitted for vetting by the office of the Attorney General. The draft is currently
being reviewed following changes in the legislature. It is still envisaged that the Act will be
presented to Parliament later on next year. Despite this delay, an administrative decision had
been taken to implement the top management structures envisaged in the Act, namely the
separation of the regulatory function from the service provision function. As from September
2007, 4 Directorates General have been set up namely:
• Public Health Regulation Division i.e. the Regulator;
• Health Care Services Division i.e. the Service Provider;
• Strategy and Sustainability Division tasked with ensuring that financial sustainability is
achieved through establishment of policies and strategies ; and
• Resources and Support Division responsible for the financial element and HR functions.
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