Unions welcome government's decision to have hospitals contracts examined by Auditor General

The government’s decision to submit the full contracts with Vitals Global Health Care for scrutiny by the Auditor General has been welcomed by the Medical Association of Malta and the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, who noted that common sense had finally prevailed.

In a statement this morning, the doctors’ association and the union noted that the change of heart came a week after there seemed to be stiff resistance to this from government MPs on the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament to their joint letter.

Last week, the MAM doctors' union and the UĦM expressed their disappointment after government MPs on the Public Accounts Committee rejected their request for an investigation by the committee of the contracts awarded to the Vitals Group, saying the issue should be investigated by the Parliamentary Health Committee.

But yesterday, Health Minister Chris Fearne asked the Public Accounts Committee to invite the Auditor General to scrutinise the 'full' public-private partnership contracts awarded for the running of the Gozo Hospital, St Luke's and Karin Grech hospitals.

The unions had asked for this to be done before they could commit themselves to the venture when representing the...