Medical Council To Investigate Shadow Health Minister But PN Accepts His Denials Despite Recording
The Medical Council will be launching an inquiry into Shadow Health Minister Stephen Spiteri following an investigation by Lovin Malta which found clear evidence of an organised effort by him to sell medical certificates for €5 each despite not seeing patients beforehand.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party has stood by Spiteri’s denial that he has never sold medical certificates and has refused to take any action against him.
The investigation revealed a racket of medical certificates being signed and sold at Brown’s Pharmacy in Kalkara where Spiteri is the resident doctor. Several phone calls were made on behalf of ‘patients’ wanting a medical certificate without visiting the doctor. In all the phone calls, fictitious patients were given the green light to pick up their certificates the next day.
“Just come here and we’ll write a paper for him with your details, you pay €5 and then you come for it at about 7pm, tomorrow though, because he won’t be here,” the pharmacy’s receptionist said. Asked what time Spiteri attended the pharmacy, Lovin Malta was told: “At 10am but he never finishes them at that time because he’ll have many (to sign).”
Asked to comment about the case, the Medical Council sent the following message to Lovin Malta:
“The Medical Council notes and eventually investigates all complaints and/or alleged cases of ethical misconduct by locally registered medical and dental practitioners that are brought to its attention. This is part of the Medical Council’s duties as a regulatory body as defined by The Health Care Professions Act, Chapter 464 of the Laws of Malta. Each case is duly investigated on its own merits as per established procedures, with the full involvement of all parties concerned who may be assisted by their legal representatives at all stages of the procedure.”
However, the Medical Council said it was not normal practice nor ethically correct to divulge details and/or comments that may jeopardise the process before or throughout the course of the investigations which may lead to “an Inquiry under section 31 et seq The Health Care Professions Act”.
According to Section 31, the Medical Council has two years to conclude an investigation of this kind and the maximum penalty is for the professional’s licence to be withdrawn.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist Party has refused to investigate the case, releasing only this statement as a reaction: “Stephen Spiteri already denied the allegations that he sells certificates to his patients and confirmed that this did not result from anywhere, not even the telephone call broadcast by Lovin Malta. Dr Spiteri confirms that he has been in the medical profession for more than 25 years and always practised to the highest standards.”
Brown’s Pharmacy told Lovin Malta yesterday that it makes no money from medical certificates and would be looking at current procedures “to ensure everything is done in an ethical manner”.
Lovin Malta has also sent questions to the Medical Association of Malta and the government and is awaiting a reply.
What do you make of the PN’s denial? Have you say in the comments below
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