Treatment Abroad

Overview

The Treatment Abroad Coordination Office is based at Mater Dei Hospital, Administration Block. The purpose of this office is to coordinate the overall procedure entailed by the National Highly Specialised Overseas Referrals Programme. Furthermore this Office is responsible for the coordination and logistical arrangements in relation to Clinics and Theatre sessions carried out by Overseas Visiting Consultants at Mater Dei Hospital.
 
The Office of the Chief Medical Officer is continuously carrying out feasibility studies to assess which services can be introduced at Mater Dei Hospital through regular visits by Overseas Visiting Consultants.
 
A number of Foreign Consultants from different specialties are invited regularly every year to carry out Clinics and surgical procedures at Mater Dei Hospital. Through these visits a number of patients will not require travelling overseas for treatment as this will be offered in Malta. These visits not only serve to alleviate the burden of travel for patients and their relatives but also serve as a valuable contact for the local Health Professionals.
 
Through these visits the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing seeks to strengthen the relationships between Mater Dei Hospital and Foreign hospitals.

National Highly Specialized Overseas Referral Programme

The Unit is responsible for the logistical arrangements of patients who require treatment overseas. Patients may be referred under different routes, that is, either under the long standing UK-Malta Bilateral Agreement or under the EU Regulations (S2 Route) or the Agreement with ISMETT (Palermo).
 
The services offered through this programme are considered as an extension to the services being offered locally. Cases referred overseas require specialised equipment and highly specialised interventions which can be offered in a very few centres overseas.
 
However the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing is continuously exploring areas where to invest and to develop specialised treatment at Mater Dei in order to reduce the number of patients being referred overseas. This is aimed to reduce the burden and hardship families go through when having to leave Malta for treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can a patient be treated by an Overseas Visiting Consultant?
Local Consultants are in contact with Overseas Visiting Consultants and liaise closely together to coordinate patients’ care. When the dates of a visiting consultants are known these are communicated to the Local Consultants who prepare the lists of patients that are to be seen in clinics. During the clinic the Overseas Visiting Consultants draw up the list of patients who would need surgery overseas and those who can be treated locally.
 
There is no direct referral to Visiting Consultants’ Clinics. Patients need to be referred by a Consultant working in the Public system. Referrals to visiting consultants need to be made through the Medical Liaison Officer. 
 
Continuous contact is kept between local and visiting consultants to ascertain continuity of care.
What happens if a patient requires emergency transfer outside office hours?

Whenever a patient needs to be transferred overseas for emergency treatment outside office hours, the Consultant concerned will contact the Treatment Abroad Manager who will then contact the Chairperson and Committee members to obtain urgent approval. Patients are transferred overseas within 24 hours or less depending on availability of flights and services.

What happens once that the referral is approved?
Referring Consultants are informed about the Committee’s decision. The Treatment Abroad Section is informed about the approved case so that contact with patients can be made. Patients are given information about policies and procedures that are in place and logistics are discussed.​
  • Contact is made with Foreign hospitals to obtain appointments for patients.
  • An appointment is made with the patients and/or their relatives to explain the policies and procedures.
  • Travel and accommodation arrangements are made.
  • Transport arrangements are made
  • Continuous liaison with UK hospitals to obtain updates on patients and their requirements.
  • Continuous contact with patients receiving treatment outside UK is kept.
  • Records of follow ups and further visits for patients are kept.
Do patients have to pay for any treatment?
No private treatment can be covered by the Department and no requests for refund can be entertained.
 
If the proper procedure for referral has been followed and approval by the Treatment Abroad Committee was granted the patient is not required to pay for treatment.
 
If patients whilst overseas are informed that they are being administered treatment different from that they had been referred for or are sent to a private hospital, they must inform the Treatment Abroad Office immediately, as approval must be sought to cover any additional costs that this treatment will bring about. Any treatment which forms part of Malta’s formulary list will be covered by the Health Department. Additionally approval on a named patient basis for treatment may also be granted in line with the exceptional treatment policy
 
If patients opt to by-pass the system and go abroad on their own initiative without prior authorization, requests for refunds of costs will not be entertained.
What other benefits are patients entitled to?
Air Tickets:
 
When a patient is approved for treatment overseas and an appointment is received they are called to the office so that the necessary arrangements are started. Patients are generally issued open return tickets as the return date from overseas is unknown. Patients may opt to make their own flight arrangements and then ask for a refund. The refund will not exceed the amount which would have been paid had arrangements been made by the staff at the Treatment Abroad Section. The costs for special arrangements such as stretcher, incubator, oxygen, leg space, medical escort and air ambulance are all borne by the Department. The Treatment Abroad Office also assists relatives with the flights booking; costs are borne by the family. However the family can seek the financial assistance of charitable institutions such as Malta Community Chest Fund and Puttinu Cares Foundation. 
 
For patients over the age of 18 years the Department covers the cost of patients’ flights however for patients under the age of 18 the Department covers also the cost of flight tickets for two accompanying persons.
 
Accommodation
 
The Department covers the cost of accommodation of patients only.
 
For patients being treated in London and Sutton:
 
The Department of Health has Agreements with the Franciscan Sisters in London and Puttinu Cares Foundation who offer accommodation services to patients receiving treatment.
 
Arrangements with the Augustinian Nuns in Oval are also in place. Payment to these institutions is made by the Department.
 
The Sisters’ accommodation is based in Victoria, London and is easily accessible from hospitals based in Central London. The apartments owned by Puttinu Cares Foundation are based in Surrey and these are generally used by patients receiving treatment at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton, Surrey.
 
For patients outside London and Sutton such as Manchester and outside UK (except Palermo):
 
In cases where patients are receiving treatment outside London accommodation arrangements are carried out by the patients and relatives however the Treatment Abroad Unit will provide guidance and assistance. These patients would be expected to pay for accommodation are then reimbursed on their return to Malta.
 
For patients in Palermo:
 
Accommodation for patients being treated at ISMETT Palermo is organised by the Hospital Administration. This accommodation for patient is paid directly by the Department.
 
Accommodation arrangements are as far as possible made in lodging close to the hospitals where the patients are receiving treatment. The patients are free to make their own accommodation arrangements and are eligible for capped refund on presentation of original receipts. If accommodation is available in the vicinity of the hospital but patients opt to stay in lodging which is far, the department is not bound to provide transport between lodging and hospitals.
 
Transport:
 
Patients receiving treatment in London and Sutton are provided with transport from and to designate airports and to attend for hospital appointments. Up to two accompanying persons can travel in the same car with the patient if space permits. Patients may choose to make their own travel arrangements and ask for reimbursement upon presentation of original receipts. The reimbursement would be according to the approved transport rates
What happens if patients find it hard to communicate in other languages?

For patients receiving treatment in London interpreting services are offered through the Malta High Commission. Furthermore two Friars are engaged by the Department to offer pastoral and counseling services to all patients and relatives in UK. For patients being treated in hospitals outside the UK, interpreting services are generally organised by the Hospital itself.

How are patients followed once they leave Malta?

Patients are given contact numbers of people working within the treatment abroad unit who are on-call 24/7. They will be provided with the necessary support.

Contact with Patients being treated outside the UK.
Contact with patients receiving treatment in EU Countries other than the UK is made directly by the Treatment Abroad Office. These patients are given an emergency mobile number which is available 24/7 in case of emergencies.
 
 
 
Contact with patients receiving treatment in Palermo is made via ISMETT’s Administration Team who deal with Maltese patients during their treatment period. Two designated officials from ISMETT ensure that the patients and their relatives receive all the required support during their stay.
 
 
How do patients access the programme?
A patient can have access to health care services overseas as a Government sponsored patient after successfully going through the procedure outlined below.
  • Patient must be receiving treatment in a Government Health Care entity in Malta and must be under the care of a local Government employed consultant.
  • Patient must have received all possible treatment and has undergone all possible investigations locally.
  • The local consultant requests that patient be referred for further treatment when all local options have been exhausted, patient will be referred for further investigations and/or treatment in an NHS hospital overseas by his local caring consultant.
  • Patient’s caring consultant will fill in a referral form for consideration by the Treatment Abroad Committee. A medical summary shall be drawn up and attached to the referral form.
  • The referral form should be endorsed by the Clinical Chairperson of the referring specialty.
  • Referral form and medical summary will be reviewed by the Treatment Abroad Committee who will take the ultimate decision whether patient is approved for treatment overseas.
  • Medical records and scans are sent to hospitals overseas for evaluation and advice by Foreign Consultants.

Contact Us

The Treatment Abroad Office within the National Highly Specialised Overseas Referrals Programme may be found within the Administration Block at Mater Dei Hospital.

They may be contacted either by phone on:
2545 3890/1/2/3/5,
2545 4006

One can contact us by sending an e-mail  to the Treatment Abroad Office
 
The Treatment Abroad Office is open from Monday to Friday during the following times:
 
Winter:
09:00hrs to 13:00hrs
 
Summer:
09:00hrs to 12:00hrs
 
However one is advised to make an appointment prior to visiting the offices so as to avoid waiting unnecessarily.
 
Information on this page was last updated on:
  • February 27, 2024