The Health & Wellness Committee of the Chamber of Commerce has issued recommendations for the improvement of mental health services in Malta.

"The effect of the pandemic on vulnerable persons cannot be ignored and reports from employers on emergency response show that the situation can still be better managed," the chamber said.

The committee called for community-based mental healthcare for early intervention as well as increased investment in emergency services and short-term improvement in certain areas of Mount Carmel Hospital. 

The document emphasizes the importance of appropriate care in the sensitive initial stages of a crisis. Ideally, it says, family doctors should guide people to overcome stigma into pre-emptive layers of community care to reduce the quantity of acute mental health crises. Some community mental health teams exist but need resourcing, and Gozo has complete an absence of such resources, the report points out. 

The Chamber said that acute psychiatric evaluation including hospital admission should be directed through a psychiatric team at Mater Dei. Crisis intervention should be led by public health staff and supported by the police (possibly not uniformed) rather than the other way around.

The chairperson of the Health and Wellness Committee, Catherine Calleja, said that COVID-19 exacerbated levels of work-related stress and isolation felt by workers in various sectors.

The report can be read here.