Benefits thousands of patients and further strengthens the role of family doctors in community care
Private family doctors who are specialists in family medicine can now prescribe four additional medicinal products included in the Government Formulary for eligible patients under their care.
These products are omeprazole for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD); ibandronic acid, which is used to treat osteoporosis; complete nutritional liquid (sip-feed supplement); and fluid thickener. The latter two may be prescribed to patients who require nutritional support or assistance with swallowing, according to their clinical needs.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Ian Borg announced this development as part of a series of initiatives by the Ministry for Health, to provide communities in Malta and Gozo with better and more accessible community-based care, with the full support of family doctors and other specialists.
Under these new prescribing arrangements, eligible patients will be able to receive these treatments through the public health service on the basis of a request and prescription issued by their private doctor, without requiring a referral to another specialist. This will be subject to the applicable Schedule V entitlement, formulary protocols and clinical guidelines.
More than 35,000 patients in Malta are currently approved to benefit from these medicinal products, while new patients will benefit from this change.
Chief Government Medical Officer Dr Clarence Pace emphasised that this change will continue to ease the burden on healthcare institutions. “This is an important step because it will not only reduce the need for patients to make unnecessary visits to other professionals, but will also further ease the pressure on our health centres and hospitals,” Dr Pace said.
This initiative builds on a series of measures introduced by the Ministry for Health to strengthen the role of private family doctors and improve coordination across the health service. It also follows the introduction, from 1st September, of arrangements allowing private family medicine specialists and other private specialists to request a wider range of blood tests and ultrasound examinations from state hospitals and healthcare institutions, with referrals and results processed electronically through myHealth.
Together, these measures will reduce avoidable referrals, save patients time and money, and enable care to be provided closer to their homes, while maintaining the safeguards necessary for the safe and appropriate use of medicines.
Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg stressed that these initiatives are a clear demonstration of the trust placed in healthcare professionals, particularly family doctors. “This is the way we want to work. We want to empower the professionals who can care for patients close to their homes and within our towns and villages, beyond state hospitals and clinics. We will continue implementing important reforms so that patients receive the best possible care close to home,” Dr Borg said.
The Ministry will continue working with family doctors and relevant stakeholders to add further services that can be delivered safely and effectively within the community.
