Physiotherapists at the outpatient department at the old hospital are struggling to treat patients as a result of sub-standard facilities, forcing their union to threaten “serious action”.

Exposed wires can be seen in the majority of lighting fixtures at the physiotherapy department in St Luke’s Hospital.

Situated at St Luke’s Hospital and run by Steward Health Care, the US company that took over the 30-year government concession to manage three hospitals, the outpatient physiotherapy department is the only one of its kind on the island.

Patients from Mater Dei Hospital, and some from Karin Grech Hospital wards, are all treated at this department. While the migration to the Mater Dei Hospital took place in 2007, the physiotherapy department remained situated at the old hospital and was first taken over by Vitals, the previous concessionaire, and then Steward.

Sources described how despite the changeover, the department has not seen an upgrade in years, with physiotherapists being forced to make the best of what is available – including having to use a corridor riddled with broken tiles during sessions with patients learning to walk again.

Times of Malta is also informed that the only treadmill available in the department has now not worked for months.

Contacted about the issue, Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives president Paul Pace said that despite years of promises that the department would be upgraded, this has yet to materialise.

Mr Pace said that the physiotherapists have had enough of working in the sub-standard conditions. Many, he said, felt that while they had the skills to provide their patients with the necessary treatment, the facilities available to them limited their professional development and often compromised the quality of the interventions.

“The building is like something out of a horror movie. There are broken tiles everywhere and a lot of the equipment is not working. The floors above the department have not been used in years and are now full of dead pigeons and walls on the brink of collapse.

“The physios cannot take it anymore,” he said.

“There is no privacy and so, for instance, a stroke patient who requires not only physical help but also psychological support, has to be treated in an open corridor.”

Master plan not yet unveiled

According to Mr Pace, Steward has promised a so-called “master plan” which would outline the improvements planned for the department, however this has yet to be unveiled.

Mr Pace said patients often complained about the dire state of the building. While the government spoke of the public health system being the best in the world, hundreds of patients were being treated in such conditions on a daily basis.

The concerns over the department come just over a week since similar worries were expressed over another public hospital, Mount Carmel, after it emerged that around three-quarters of the wards have condemned ceilings, with beds crammed so close that patients are being forced to place their personal belongings on the floor.

He said the union would also be threatening action over the problems at the department, pointing out that it would be “even harsher”.

“Things just cannot go on as they are. The department was abandoned the moment everyone moved to Mater Dei and not a single upgrade was carried out since,” he said.

Steward promises 'interim solution'

Contacted about the matter, a spokeswoman for Steward said that the management was in regular discussions with the staff who, she said, provide excellent care “despite the long standing limitations in the physical environment”.

“In view of the wider project to regenerate Karin Grech and St Luke’s into a fully-fledged holistic rehabilitation hospital with new outpatient facilities, it was agreed with staff and union representatives that an interim solution would be identified, which would improve the working conditions at the current physiotherapy department without diverting significant funding from the comprehensive new construction plans and long-term solutions,” she said.

“This proposal reflects an upgrade to the existing premises: waterproofing, plastering, curtains, air-conditioning, new PCs, additional HR and replacement of equipment. Additional space has been identified and works will progress in short order,” the spokeswoman added.

Prior to the commencement of works, she went on, plans will again be reviewed with the union, which has been engaged in the process throughout as well as with the Health Ministry.

“Steward is currently working with local and international planning experts on a master plan that will establish exactly how the new hospital will be built, and is involving stakeholders to ensure that what is built is a facility that meets the needs of current and future patients and provides a work environment supportive of our staff,” the spokeswoman said.

Details on work time frames were not provided.

claire.caruana@timesofmalta.com