National reform programme 2008-2010 Malta - European Commission

1.0 Investing in Sustainable Healthcare
1.1 A new health care Act which will provide institutional reform, a modern legal basis as
well as a framework for patient’s rights: - During the 2005 -2008 the Malta NRP
highlighted the adoption of a new Health Care Act to replace the Department of Health
Constitution Ordinance enabling legislative and institutional reform. The draft Act had
been previously cleared through 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 introduced after the start of the new
legislature in May 2008.
1.2 Measures to strengthen primary and community care: Provide a series of measures to
render services more accessible and responsive to patients’ needs by strengthening
primary and community care services.
1.3 Strategy and services to improve cancer care: Invest in modern infrastructure and
equipment to enable an overall improvement in the quality of services provided for
cancer prevention and treatment. Plans for the development of new cancer treatment
facilities and for the procurement of new machines are underway. A strategy for cancer
prevention, treatment and palliation is being finalised.
1.4 Incremental measures to introduce an effective financial strategy accompanied by the
implementation of appropriate operational and IT systems: This strategy intends to build
appropriate structures and systems within the health care provider units. Information
systems will be upgraded where necessary and rolled out where still not available in
order to provide robust and reliable information for management. Such information will
be collated in such a way as to comply with the data structure approved for health
systems in the EU, namely the “System of Health Accounts".
2.0 Create the right environment for growth and jobs
2.1 Reduction in income tax through the further widening of the tax bands: Reduce income
tax bands with a view to make work more attractive.
2.2 Reduction of maximum rate of income tax from 35% to 25%: Reduce maximum income
tax rate with a view to make work more attractive.
2.3 Removal of airport departure tax: Remove the €23 departure tax which impacts all
those who travel on business will be removed.
3.0 Invest in research and innovation
3.0 Strengthening research infrastructure at the University of Malta: Modernising the
research infrastructure within the University of Malta with a view to contribute towards
R&D.
3.1 Bursaries for PhD students: Promote research and technology fields through the
provision of bursaries for PhD research students.
3.2 Increase investment in R&I through the implementation of Malta’s R&I programme:
Significantly increase Government investment in Malta’s national R&I funding
programme .
3.3 Introduce schemes which focus on the promotion of R&D, Innovation and Growth : The
schemes under the ME Act are focused on increasing private R&D expenditure,
encouraging Innovation among enterprises and stimulating growth through the tapping
of new markets. This will be undertaken through a number of incentives such as the
EUREKA initiative together with the R&D grant schemes. Encouraging Innovation will
take place through the implementation of a grant scheme which promotes product and
process innovation together with eco–innovations.
Malta National Reform Programme 2008-2010 - 83 -