Over a quarter of Mount Carmel Hospital patients suffer from substance abuse, the Health Minister told parliament on Monday.

Joe Etienne Abela was answering a question by PN MP Ian Vassallo who asked the minister what percentage of the patients had been hospitalised over substance use.

Abela said 25.75% of the current patient population used substances. 

Mount Carmel Hospital, in Attard, provides in and out-patient mental health care.

In an interview with Times of Malta in February, when asked about his plans to expand mental health services, Abela had noted that work to renovate Mount Carmel was in full swing and confirmed long-promised plans to shift acute mental health care to the Mater Dei area.

The minister said his preference was for such care to be provided directly within Mater Dei, though he said he was also open to it being done in an area close to the state hospital.

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