Last update: February 2013
Information about the THE SUPERVISORY ORGANISATION(s) in MALTA
1. COUNTRY/REGION: MALTA
Website of the supervisory organisation: www.ehealth.gov.mt
Is this website in English or partly in English?
All documents are mainly in English
Contact person(s)
o Name and function:
Medical Council Malta- Regulatory Body for the Professions of Medical Practitioners and Dental Surgeons
Address:
SLH-OPD, Level 1,
St. Luke’s Square,
Gwardamangia, Malta
Email: medicalcouncil.mhec@gov.mt
Telephone number .00356 21255540
o Name and function:
Svetlana Cachia B.Com.(Hons.)(Melit.), M.A.(Public Policy)(Melit.) - Registrar
Address: as above.
Email: svetlana.cachia@gov.mt.
Telephone number 00356 21255540
2. THE STRUCTURE OF THE SUPERVISORY ORGANISATION(s)
o The Head of the Supervisory Organisation (name and function)
Dr Ilona Debono B.A., LL.D., Adv.Trib.Eccl.Melit. – President of the Medical Council
o Size of the Supervisory Organisation:
Number of inspections/supervisions or number of inspectors or number of full time equivalents of people working in the organisation; number of hospitals or health institutions under supervision:
13 Council Members
• Number of people working in the organisation:
The Registrar - full time
Mr Emanuel John Falzon – clerk full time
Council members - part time
o Other relevant information about the Supervisory Organisation in your
Country or region:
i. The Medical Council’s purpose is to protect, promote and maintain the health of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine. Some of the Council’s statutory functions are defined in the Health Care Professions Act Cap.464 (2003) as:
ii. To keep, publish and update registers in respect of the medical and dental professions, and also specialist registers of the medical and dental professions as may be prescribed;
iii. To enhance the role of the Medical Register as the single authoritative source of information on doctors, and as a national resource for patients, employers and the profession;
iv. To prescribe and maintain professional and ethical standards for the medical and dental professions;
v. To levy such fees, from its registered medical practitioners and dental surgeons, for initial registration and yearly retention fees thereafter;
vi. Administering the systems for the registration and recommend to the President of Malta the granting of licences to medical practitioners and dental surgeons to practise their profession:
vii. The Medical Council strives to safeguard the highest standards of medical ethics, education and practice, in the interest of patients, the public and the profession.
viii. Relation with the Department of Health
ix. Web address: .www.ehealth.gov.mt
Direct link: https://ehealth.gov.mt/HealthPortal/others/regulatory_councils/medical_council/medical_council.aspx
3. THE SCOPE OF THE SUPERVISORY ORGANISATION(s)
o Is there supervision on health care in general?
The Medical council supervises the professional standards and continuing medical education of its members and in conjunction with the Health Ethics Committee surpervises any research undertaken.
o Is there supervision on hospitals?.
No.
o Is there supervision on other health care institutions like nursing homes/
convalescent homes?
No.
o Is there supervision on the production and the use of medicines?
No
o Is there a supervisory relation with health care professionals?
If yes, what kind of relation?
The Medical Council supervises the professional and ethical behavior of medical and dental practitioner, and can act as a judicial body to impose restrictions, fines or erasure of practitioner if standards are not maintained.
o Other relevant information about the scope of the supervisory organisation:
The Medical Council strives at safeguarding patients’ rights and safety: by protecting, promoting and maintaining the health of the general public;
by ensuring proper standards in the practice of Medicine;
as well as by safeguarding the values and integrity of the Medical and Dental professions
4. METHODS OF INSPECTATION OR SUPERVISION
o What methods of inspection or supervision are used in your country/region?
The Medical Council always initiates investigations and inspection whenever any complaint or report is received and acts in a supervisory role through its sub-committees to ensure adherence to legal and moral regulations.
o Other information about the methods of inspection in your country /region
5. WHAT IS THE COMPETENCE OF THE SUPERVISORY ORGANISATION IN YOUR COUNTRY?
o Is the supervisory organisation entitled to use compulsory measures (sanction/repression/enforcement)? Yes.
o Is the supervisory organisation entitled to take precautions and implement measures to prevent accidents or incidents? Yes.
o Does the supervisory organisation have the authority to close institutions or stop non proper healthcare?
No, it acts in an advisory capacity to the Ministry for Health, the Elderly and Community Care. The latter normally accepts the Council’s suggestions
o Is the supervisory organisation allowed to interfere in other ways?
At law the Medical Council can take whatever it deems necessary in fulfilment of its goals
o Other relevant information about the competence of the supervisory organisation
6. INTERESTING ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS IN YOUR COUNTRY/REGION
Please refer to our website:
https://ehealth.gov.mt/HealthPortal/others/regulatory_councils/medical_council/medical_council.aspx
