Former Health Minister Joseph Cassar said this afternoon that boundaries were being overstepped in the Health Ministry with a blurring of the roles of the minister, the civil service and the hospital management.

Dr Cassar said when speaking in parliament that every health minister had had an office in the main hospital, but that used to be in the administration section because the minister was responsible for policy.

He felt it was not a good idea that the new minister had set up an office in the Casualty Department of Mater Dei Hospital. It was unheard of for a minister to take over the management of a department. Many in the management felt that their roles and competence were being put in doubt, he said. 

Dr Cassar said he used to visit the Casualty Department, but having an office there was not  the way how to solve problems there. The problems would be solved through improvement in primary care services, community care and better patient management.

Dr Cassar also asked what had become of Labour's policies to make IVF facilities available to all those who needed them, and for medicines to be delivered directly to the elderly.