Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne and Minister for Inclusion, Quality of Life and Volunteering Julia Farrugia Portelli have announced a scheme that will reduce the current waiting list for services of Occupational Therapy in the Child Development Assessment Unit (CDAU).
A scheme will be launched in the coming weeks whereby private occupational therapists will be able to offer their services to CDAU patients and be paid for by the Government
Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne explained how there have been a number of health services around the world that have had to be stopped or limited due to the pandemic. Also in Malta, during the height of the pandemic, there were services that had to be stopped for some time, so that human resources were used where it was more urgent with the consequence that certain waiting lists were increased.
“In many sectors, such as MRI, we have managed to reduce the waiting time for what was before COVID-19 and even better, the same in a number of other operations. This has also been done through private collaboration, outsourcing a number of services. It is this same concept that we are introducing to the Occupational Therapy of children, “said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Deputy Prime Minister Fearne explained that in terms of this service in recent years there have been two main challenges that have lengthened the waiting time, the pandemic as well as industrial actions with the UĦM which have delayed appointments. . He explained how the announced scheme would allow private-sector occupational therapists to apply, as well as those working in the public sector who have already reached the quota of patients during normal working hours. He thanked the CDAU staff for their work with the children attending the services.
Minister for Inclusion, Quality of Life and Volunteering Julia Farrugia Portelli explained that this is a crucial and necessary step for inclusion. She stressed that early intervention and early diagnosis is crucial in order to quickly identify the condition of the child that professionals are facing and children with disabilities to start receiving therapy as soon as possible.
Minister Farrugia Porteli also said that in the same way the occupational therapy that will be needed can be started without delay and crucial years in the development of children will not be lost.
At the same news conference, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health stated that after discussions between the Health Authorities and the Curia, led by Archbishop Charles Scicluna, it was decided that the standing activities would be allowed from 10 April 2022.
Regarding people coming from Ukraine for asylum, Deputy Prime Minister Fearne explained that an exception will be made from the restrictions linked to the countries of the dark red list, so that these people enter our country, this whereas only in this case can the 14-day quarantine be carried out in an identified private residence, instead of in the quarantine hotel if such persons have this opportunity. He reiterated that this exception is in addition to the humanitarian aid that Malta is offering to Ukraine, through coordination with HERA, whereby Malta is offering to send medicines and receive oncology patients for treatment in Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Center.
