Partit Laburista candidates Chris Fearne and Glenn Bedingfield have reacted to the Opposition’s healthcare proposals during the electoral campaign, warning that the lack of a clear and coherent plan poses a serious risk to the sector.

Addressing the press on the third day of the campaign, Fearne said the proposals lack detail, have not been properly thought through and are not based on any concrete framework. In a sector as critical as healthcare, he added, such an approach is dangerous.

He cautioned that the direction being outlined risks taking Malta back to the healthcare model that existed under Gonzi PN prior to 2013, attributing many of the challenges of that period to decisions taken at the time. In his view, the same mistakes are now being repeated, with old prescriptions being repackaged as new solutions.

Particular concern was raised over the emphasis being placed on hospital based care, with repeated references to hospitals but no corresponding mention of primary healthcare services such as health centres and community based care.

Referring to the Ċensu Moran hub, which the Opposition for its own reasons continues to refer to as the Paola hub, Fearne said that proposals to convert the facility into a hospital would effectively weaken primary healthcare provision.

He stressed that a sustainable healthcare system must be built on strong primary care, noting that hospitals cannot serve as the first point of contact for every need, as had been the case under Gonzi PN. Over recent years, he added, services have expanded significantly, including the strengthening of community care and the establishment of the Ċensu Moran hub, which he described as an essential service within local communities.

Such services, he said, should not be undermined. Speaking also from his experience as a doctor, Fearne maintained that primary healthcare cannot be sidelined.

He further raised concerns regarding proposals affecting healthcare workers, particularly the introduction of fiscal incentives for those returning from abroad. In his view, such measures would place those who remained working in Malta at a disadvantage.

Under EU rules, he explained, these incentives would apply to individuals returning from other member states for a number of years, warning that similar schemes in the past had led to significant disruption. Repeating such measures, he said, would be a mistake.

Fearne also pointed to what he described as a lack of preparedness, noting that proposals such as nurse navigators are already in place. The system, introduced in Malta in 2017, was recognised by the World Health Organization in 2022 as a model for other countries and has already benefited thousands of patients.

Bedingfield, meanwhile, drew a contrast between what he described as serious, costed proposals on one side and confusion on the other, adding that while one side is presenting plans, the other appears to be still drafting them in real time.

By the third day of the campaign, he said, the Opposition’s lack of preparedness had already become evident, adding that it appeared not to have learned from its past despite having had the opportunity to do so.

From the outset of the campaign, he continued, it has been difficult to discern a clear direction. He criticised the Opposition leader for avoiding journalists the previous day and announcing proposals without engaging with the media, adding that a subsequent press conference failed to provide the necessary clarity.

He also pointed to inconsistencies in the Opposition’s position on foreign workers in healthcare. Proposals to remove expenses linked to single permits, he said, stand in contrast to earlier criticism of the presence of foreign workers in Malta, raising questions as to whether the policy is evolving or simply revolving.

Further inconsistencies were noted among Opposition representatives themselves, with differing statements being made within a short span of time. While acknowledging the need for additional workers in the sector, Bedingfield said no explanation had been given as to how or from where these would be sourced.

Questions were also raised regarding commitments to reduce waiting times. Bedingfield noted that, while such promises are being made, the individual being put forward as a potential health minister had previously acknowledged that waiting lists were at their worst under a PN administration. He referred in this context to Mr Ray Gatt, an orthopaedic surgeon, whose waiting list had become widely known, noting the contrast between past performance and present promises.

On infrastructure, he said that questions regarding plans for a hospital in the north of Malta remained unanswered. Despite assurances that details would be provided during a press conference, no substantive information was forthcoming, leaving more questions than answers.

At a time when an electoral campaign should offer clarity and direction, particularly in a sector as critical as healthcare, this absence of detail is notable, he said.

Bedingfield concluded by contrasting this with what he described as the PL’s approach, pointing to a series of costed proposals and recent announcements, including those related to the energy transition, aimed at supporting people at every stage of life and providing stability and peace of mind.