Minister, parliamentary secretary, authorised to do some medical work
Jo Etienne Abela can perform a limited number of operations and Deo Debattista can follow some patients at St Vincent de Paul Home
Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela has been authorised by the Cabinet to continue performing a limited number of surgeries within the public health service on an unpaid basis, the government said on Wednesday.
Medical doctor Deo Debattista, now the parliamentary secretary for the elderly, has been similarly authorised to continue following a number of patients with serious health conditions at St Vincent de Paul de Paul Residence.
The government said the arrangements mirror another waiver approved by Cabinet during the previous legislature when Abela, a surgeon, served as health minister.
"In its considerations, Cabinet noted that Abela’s surgical expertise remains necessary within the public healthcare system, both to address the needs of patients with serious medical conditions and to assist in the training of new medical professionals," the government said.
The authorisation in both cases applies to a restricted number of hours, to be determined according to medical needs. The services will be provided free of charge.
"The decisions were taken in line with Article 7.2 of the Code of Ethics for Ministers," the government said.
Both Abela and Debattista were asked to leave the Cabinet meeting while these matters were being discussed.
In 2014 then Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca, an eye surgeon, resigned amid controversy over whether he could continue to practice while holding government office.
He had, for a time, been given a special “waiver” by then Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to keep working in the private sector. The waiver was later revoked but he was still allowed to work for the national health service without remuneration. He eventually stood down.
Then Foreign Minister George Vella had also spoken of the difficulty in weaning himself off private practice when he became minister in 2013.
Vella was a popular general practitioner, a doctor for some 50 years, and briefly continued to see his patients free of charge during early morning sessions before eventually closing his clinic.