Type: Departments

Legal Office

Posted on March 10, 2025 by -

The Legal Services Directorate

The Legal Services Directorate within the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing provides comprehensive legal assistance to the Administration, Hospitals, Health Centres, Public Health Directorate and other institutions under the same Ministry. This assistance includes but is not limited to :

  • Legal Advice
  • Drafting of Laws
  • Legal Representation in Court, Arbitration, and Tribunals
  • Drafting and Reviewing of Contracts
  • Drafting of Legal letters
  • Customer/Patients related issues

Civil Cases & Legal Services

The Legal Office handles a wide range of civil cases, including alleged breaches of administrative procedures, professional negligence, health and safety in the workplace, and industrial relations.

Investigations & Disciplinary Procedures

The office plays a crucial role in conducting internal investigations and disciplinary procedures with the same rigor as court inquiries.

Additionally, the office actively collaborates with the Customer Care Department of Mater Dei Hospital to ensure compliance with legal frameworks concerning patient data access requests.

Hospitals/Entities Related Services

The office assists in the distribution of court summons to doctors in cooperation with the Police and Court Marshals, significantly reducing the number of arrest warrants issued against medical professionals. It also oversees:

  • Applications (rikorsi) such as for Videoconferencing, Exemptions, Jury Cases, Health Inspectors) and submissions to Court
  • Court Notices
  • Management of Medical Files for Court Cases
  • Affidavits
  • Drafting of SOPs and Consent Forms
  • Register of Deaths at A&E and other locations
  • Updates of Court Cases
  • Root Cause Analysis
  • Audits & Studies by Doctors
  • Temporary Suspension of Driving Licenses
  • Management of No-Show Patients
  • Public Health related issues

Other Legal Support

The office has facilitated the signing and of contracts for study grants at Mater Dei Hospital and other entities and the signing of mortgages and cancellations in collaboration with the Government Notary’s Office.

Compliance and Investigations Division

Posted on December 16, 2024 by -

Mission

Our mission is to strengthen good governance, by proactively supporting and monitoring internal stakeholders in their commitment to compliance. Through integrity, transparency, and accountability, we strive to foster a culture of risk awareness and compliance excellence across all levels of the organization.

Main functions and Responsibilities

  • Liaise with the Audit Steering Committee in order to develop and implement a robust audit approach across the Ministry by planning and designing targeted audit programs for various entities within the Ministry.
  • Prepare and submit comprehensive reports on completed audit and investigative tasks, detailing findings and recommendations for further action.
  • Oversee the execution of audit recommendations to ensure continuous improvement and adherence to compliance standards.
  • Execute planned strategies, initiatives, and operational goals in line with the Ministry’s objectives.
  • Foster a risk management culture in day-to-day operations and decision making.
  • Lead in the establishment and implementation of Policies, Procedures, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to promote good governance, ensuring compliance with legislation, government policies, and procedural standards across the Ministry.

General Description of Documents Held

Documents held by the Compliance and Investigations Division are internal reports emanating from own investigations & fact-finding boards which are classified as confidential.

Information Management Unit

Posted on October 9, 2024 by -

​​The Information Management Unit (Health) primary role is to ensure alignment of information technology with the Ministry’s strategic priorities. In this regard, the Unit provides support and advise to the Permanent Secretary on all Ministry ICT Matters. The Information Management Unit (Health) is managed by the Chief Information Officer Mr Euchar Sultana.

Main Competencies of the Information Management Unit (Health) include:

  • The preparation of strategic and operational ICT plans for the Ministry in line with the national ICT strategy;
  • Providing support and advice to the Permanent Secretary on the Ministry ICT matters;
  • Technical advice about the procurement and/or leasing of ICT-related equipment;
  • Co-ordinate the upgrading, development and implementation of new Information Systems;
  • Preparation of the ICT budget and the optimisation of ICT resources.

The Unit is also involved in applying Governmental-wide policies, standards and protocols which are aimed at ensuring that IT systems are mutually compatible.

Vision:

Better health for Maltese society through effective application of technology.

Mission:

At the Information Management Unit, we provide our clients, both internal and external, a high quality and efficient health care system through the delivery of technology that is intrinsic to our client’s needs;

We take pride in our ability and consistent approach to strategically support our clients whilst reducing excessive bureaucratic processes.

Values:

We are governed by the values inherent in the Maltese Public Administration, such as, Service, Courteous, Expeditiously and Impartial; Objective and Knowledgeable; Effective and Efficient. Whilst working towards achieving Excellence, being Accountable and of Integrity, ensuring the provision of a Compassionate and Inclusive customer centric service, through Empowerment and Competent use of public monies.

General Description of the Categories of Documents Held

Documents held by the Information Management Unit (Health) about governance of ICT emanate from ICT Policies, Directives, Procedures and Standards for the Government of Malta (http://ictpolicies.gov.mt).

Addressing requests in terms of the Freedom of Information Act

Members of the public requesting access to documents held by the Information Management Unit are to contact the FOI Officer on 22992379 or the Alternate FOI Officer on 25952801 or via e-mail address [email protected].

Health Informatics

Posted on October 9, 2024 by -

Structure, Functions and Responsibilities

The Health Informatics Directorate focuses on health data governance, quality, privacy and reporting within the Ministry of Health and Active Aging.

The directorate is composed of the following Units:

  • Health Data Management
  • Data Governance
  • Digital Health and Data
  • Data Protection
  • Medical Records
  • Medical Illustrations

Responsibilities

  • To co-ordinate and promote health informatics across all healthcare services
  • To identify requirements in the operability of health informatics within healthcare services and give advice and recommendations
  • To collect, analyse and disseminate health information to ensure continuous monitoring, innovation and sustainability within healthcare services

General Description of the Categories of Documents Held

  • Hospital activity reports
  • Data protection procedures
  • Written and photographic clinical documentation
  • Standard Operation Procedures
  • Quality Assurance procedures and review of process workflows
  • Data governance procedures and reviews

Office of the Director General (Strategy and Implementation)

Posted on October 9, 2024 by -

The Office of the Director General (Strategy and Implementation) provides support and advice to the Permanent Secretary as well as effective direction to the Ministry’s senior management, with a view to encouraging the development of policies, programmes, strategies and administrative projects falling within the remit of the Ministry, all of which are aimed at attaining a culture of service excellence.

The Office of the Director General (S&I) is responsible for co-ordinating and monitoring the actioning of plans tied to the implementation of Budget Measures, and the Electoral Manifesto Initiatives. In this regard, this Office continuously collaborates with and guides stakeholders on the attainment of the milestones established in the applicable action plan – which actions are then recorded in the respective monthly feedback which the office refers to the OPM.

The audits conducted by the NAO, the Mystery Shoppers and other institutions of oversight are important tools for identifying procedural and operational gaps. Related recommendations serve to improve existing procedures and processes, with a view to promoting good governance and encourage a culture of service excellence. To this effect, the Office continuously guides and collaborates with senior management to ensure the effective and timely adoption of recommendations.

The Office of the Director General (Strategy and Implementation) also acts as the official liaison point between the Ministry and the Office of the Ombudsman and ensures that all correspondence concerning cases falling under the Ministry’s responsibility are dealt with in a reliable, accurate and timely manner. It also performs the functions of:

  • MHA Whistleblowing Reporting Officer, responsible for receiving internal disclosures and addressing the concerns raised accordingly.
  • MHA Liaison Officer to the National Audit Office.