Call for inquiry into doctor's 'conflict of interest'

Medical consultant Louis Buhagiar is calling on the Medical Council to investigate what he claims is Frank Portelli's direct conflict of interest in St Philip's Hospital, Santa Venera.

In a letter to the council dated October 6, lawyer José Herrera, acting on behalf of Dr Buhagiar, a former Labour MP, said that while Dr Portelli, a former Nationalist MP, was a partial shareholder of the company operating St Philip's, he also occupied the position of chief executive and served as a practising specialist at the same hospital.

Dr Herrera said "this anomalous position" had to be regularised since it went against the spirit and essence of the Code of Ethics of the Medical and Kindred Professions Ordinance.

Dr Portelli rebutted the claim of conflict of interest and questioned whether Dr Buhagiar was raising this issue now because he had been suspended from operating at St Philip's for "repeated overcharging" two months ago. The case is now being examined by the Medical Council.

Dr Herrera said his client strongly denies allegations of overcharging and pointed out there were no fixed tariffs.

Dr Portelli said Dr Buhagiar had been working at the hospital for the past four years but he had never before had any qualms or voiced any concern about a conflict of interest.

"When I first became involved with St Philip's in April 1999 a press statement was issued which made it clear I was one of the shareholders...

"Since this time not one single patient has lodged a formal complaint against me," he said.

Dr Portelli pointed out that in Malta many clinics were owned by doctors, among them in Zabbar, Rabat, Zebbug and Sliema.

"There is nothing wrong in this and it is generally accepted in Malta, where most patients are aware of who owns what or who has an interest in the clinic or hospital," he continued.

"If he has legitimate concerns about my conflict of interest, one is entitled to ask why he is still working at St James and at Capua, both of which are owned by a doctor."

In April last year the police were investigating an allegation of overcharging by a foreign patient at the request of the health department - a claim Dr Buhagiar had called totally unfounded.