With long waiting times, poor conditions in public hospitals, and expensive bills for private treatment it is not surprising that many patients from the UK and other countries are choosing to have their elective surgery abroad.
In Malta medical tourists can access high quality medical care such as specialist and elective surgery in state-of-the-art private hospitals and clinics. Malta offers a restful and safe environment, particularly for elderly patients needing hip or knee replacements, and is popular withItalian and British patients (not least since EU legislation in 2006 allows Brits to claim back treatment in another EU country if they face ‘unacceptable’ delays in the UK) and savings of up to fifty per cent can be made in Malta compared with Italy or Britain.
As part of the European Union the medical standards in Malta are high. The hospitals and clinics are equipped with very modern technology such as fast spiral CT scanners which can scan the body is just one minute and laminar flow ventilation which can help reduce risk of post-op infections by around 50 percent and the island's medical specialists often study, train and qualify in Europe, the UK or the US.
Malta is part of the European Union and its medical standards are exceptional - the World Health Organisation ranks Malta fifth in the world for its overall health system performance - so international patients can rest assured that they will find first class medical attention and can take advantage of top class surgery in superb facilities.
In particular, Malta has a high reputation for its expertise in heart and orthopaedic surgery and performs many procedures using Keyhole Surgery (a revolutionary surgery using tiny incisions and instruments which cause less pain and bring a swifter recovery).
Maltese surgeons are highly trained, (five years for the medical degree, then four years of general surgical training) and quite often surgeons train in neighbouring European countries, the UK or the US and have international affiliations. The professional regulatory body in Malta is the Medical Council of Malta which has a comprehensive code of ethics covering both the medical and dental professions.
The Medical Association of Malta (MAM) unites members of the medical profession and the Association of Surgeons of Malta help promote high standards of surgical practice in Malta and Gozo.
Before committing to treatment check a surgeon’s credentials at the Medical Council of Malta and the Association of Surgeons of Malta. Always ask to see patient testimonials and before/after pictures before making a decision.
