Contents

This Charter

How to contact us

Opening Hours

Personal Consideration and Respect

Your rights as a patient

Making an appointment

Our services

What kind of service you can expect from us

Your responsibilities as a patient

Drugs and medicines

If you are not satisfied with our service

Learning from you

The Dermatology Department is composed of several units, all dealing specifically in areas of skin disease and the eventual treatment. The aim of the department is to work for the improvement of health care for people with skin disease, to educate and inform the public about skin diseases and to provide the necessary treatment to its patients whether they are out/in patients. The department also provides guidelines and information (printed matter) to patients suffering from particular skin diseases. This will give the patient first hand information on how to reduce irritation and painful conditions from which they may suffer. This charter also outlines your rights and responsibilities as a patient when visiting our Department. It is also intended as a guide to the services available and the standards of service that can be expected from us. Through this charter we are committing ourselves to providing you with a quality service.

How to contact us

The Dermatology Department is situated at the Sir Paul Boffa Hospital in Floriana. You can contact us by-

• visting us or writing to the

Dermatology Department

Sir Paul Boffa Hospital

Harper Lane

Floriana VLT 14

• phoning on- 22987127/22987153

• sending a fax on- 22987131

• sending an email on- dermaop@gov.mt

The Dermatology Department is open from Monday to Saturday during the following hours-

8.00 a.m. – 1.30 p.m.

The Dermatology Operating Theatre operates from Monday to Saturday during the following hours-

8.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.

The Dermatolgy Ward is open daily to visitors during the following hours-

10.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon

3.30 p.m. – 8.00 p.m.

Children can visit on Sundays only during the following hours-

10.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon.

We believe you should know the name and grade of the person dealing with your request. You can expect all staff you meet within the Dermatology Department to wear a tag indicating both their name and their grade.

You can also expect all staff who deal with you to treat you in the best possible manner. They will attend to your needs with courtesy and respect for your privacy, dignity, culture, religious beliefs and lifestyle.

You can expect us to make it easy for everyone to use our services, including children, elderly people and people with special needs.

As a patient at our Department, you have the right to-

• be fully and clearly informed of the services available at the Dermatology Department. You can expect this information to be easily accessible to you and to be presented in a way that is comprehensive and easy to understand
• receive health care on the basis of your clinical needs irrespective of your lifestyle, skin colour, sex or any other factor
• have any proposed treatment, including any risks involved as well as any other alternatives, clearly explained to you before you decide whether to agree with it or not
• have all the records and information about you stored in a confidential manner
• have all questions you may have on your condition, answered
• be prescribed drugs and medicines appropriate to your condition
• stay in at the inpatient ward until your condition is stabilised.

It is very important that you fix an appointment before you visit one of the specialised clinics at the Dermatology Department. The following information will help you to understand the procedure used at this department.

• a referral note by your personal doctor or from the health centre is required. This is to be sent by post or delivered by hand to the Dermatology Department
• these referral notes are vetted by our Consultants
• an appointment is given and sent to you by post according to the nature of your skin condition
• you should always inform the department if you cannot attend for an appointment, in which case another appointment may be arranged.

There are eight clinics at the Dermatology Department, namely-

Outpatient services-

• General Dermatology Clinic
• Leg Ulcer Clinic
• Patch Testing
• Photochemotherapy and Phototherapy (PUVA and UVB)
• Dermatology Laser Unit (at St Luke’s Hospital)
• Dermatology Theatre
• Genito-Urinary Clinic

Inpatient services-

• Prof. Vincent Curmi Ward

The Dermatology clinic offers a full spectrum of medical and surgical skin care to patients of all ages. Diagnosis and therapy of dermatitis, eczema, acne, infectious skin problems including viral, bacterial and fungal diseases, blistering diseases, hair and nail problems, moles and other skin growths are carried out following which the necessary treatment is given to patients. Viral warts are treated in a dedicated Wart Clinic.

This service is available from Monday to Saturday from 8.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon.

• new appointments are By Referral Only. Patients with an urgent referral letter signed by a doctor, are seen on the same day, provided that the referral note clearly indicates the urgent nature of the skin problem
• if you need to cancel your appointment, please notify the department for cancellation well beforehand and a new appointment can be given.

Please bring also with you the following-

• your ID card
• your hospital appointment ticket
• any medication that you might be taking (including creams and ointments).

To attend the General Dermatology Clinic, you need to make an appointment as has been explained earlier.

You can expect to be given your first appointment within 2 – 4 weeks. On the day of your appointment you can expect to be seen by a doctor within 30 minutes of your appointment. Exceptional circumstances or emergencies may prevent us from reaching this target.

Leg ulcers are wounds on the leg that fail to heal due to insufficient blood supply to the area. People who have poor blood circulation, such as those suffering diabetes or older people, are more likely to develop leg ulcers. The initial wound to the leg may only be slight and a common cause could be by bumping into furniture. The ulcer may become infected and in some cases may enlarge and treatment should be initiated to remedy as soon as possible. This Leg Ulcer Clinic is mainly designed to treat leg ulcers due to problems with veins, such as varicose veins.

This service is available from Monday to Sunday from 8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m..

When visiting the Leg Ulcer Clinic you are requested to bring with you the following-

• your ID card
• your hospital appointment ticket
• any medicines that you might be taking (including creams and ointments)
• the appointment note received from the Dermatology Department.

To attend the Leg Ulcer Clinic, you need to make an appointment as has been explained earlier.

You can expect to be given your first appointment within 2 – 4 weeks. On the day of your appointment you can expect to be seen by a doctor/nurse within 1 hour of your appointment. This is due to the unique nature of the Leg Ulcer Clinic. Exceptional circumstances or emergencies may prevent us from reaching this target.

Patch testing is a way of finding out if you are allergic to anything that comes into contact with the skin. Patch testing only detects the type of allergy that causes eczema, i.e. itchy, flaking and blistered skin. This is caused by skin contact from the outside. We do not test for food allergies or any allergies that cause sneezing, wheezing or asthma.

Patches are applied on the back on a Monday, removed and first reading taken on a Wednesday, and a final reading is taken on a Thursday or Friday, depending on the attending Consultant. It is important not to wash the back from the time that the patches are applied till the final reading is taken.

This service is available from Monday to Saturday from 8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

When visiting us at the Patch Testing Clinic you are requested to bring with you the following-

• your ID card
• your hospital appointment ticket
• any medicines that you might be taking
• the appointment note received from the Dermatology Department
• at your first appointment, please bring with you anything you think may be aggravating your skin condition. Please label any substances that you bring.

Patch tests are done only if considered necessary after a routine consultation in the Dermatology Clinic.

Waiting Time

You can expect to be given your first appointment within 2 – 4 weeks. On the day of your appointment you can expect to be seen by a doctor/nurse within 30 minutes of your appointment. Exceptional circumstances or emergencies may prevent us from reaching this target.

PUVA or UVB is a type of ultraviolet radiation treatment (phototherapy) useful for patients with various skin disorders, including psoriasis, dermatitis and mycosis fungoides. The number and the frequency of PUVA/UVB treatments will depend on the condition being treated and individual factors. PUVA is a combination treatment which consists of Psoralens (P) and then exposing the skin to long wave ultraviolet radiation (UVA).

This service is available seven days a week from 7.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. with occasional gaps depending on the shift of operating staff.

When visiting us at the PUVA Clinic you are requested to bring with you the following-

• your ID card
• your hospital appointment ticket
• inform the PUVA Clinic about any medicines you are taking.

You should also-

• take the number of tablets specified by your doctor two hours before your appointment at the PUVA Clinic
• read carefully the instructions provided about your treatment and if you have any queries or you are not sure about anything please ask staff at the PUVA Clinic.

To attend the PUVA and UVB Clinic, you must first have been referred from a Dermatologist in the Dermatology Clinic.

The treatment of PUVA or UVB is given according to your needs and therefore it is important that appointment times are kept. Exceptional circumstances or emergencies may prevent us from reaching this target.

The Dermatology Laser Unit is located at Karen Grech Hospital, G¢ Mangia, opposite the Ophthalmic Ward. The laser machine is a Pulsed-dye laser and is used mainly for vascular cutaneous lesions namely port-wine stains, spider naevi, and haemangiomas. You may need to attend for multiple treatment sessions until the best result is obtained. You do not need to fast prior to the procedure and can go back to you normal activities immediately afterwards. During the procedure the doctor and a nurse will be present. Special goggles are worn to protect the eyes from the laser beam. Some discomfort may be felt during treatment and temporary bruising may be seen. Ice packs are applied after treatment to minimise bruising and swelling. On rare occasions, usually when young children or infants are concerned, laser therapy is done under General Anaesthetic in Karen Grech Operating Theatres and in these cases admission to a Paediatric Ward is necessary, as a day case.

This service is available from Monday to Saturday from 8.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon.

When visiting the Dermatology Laser Unit you are requested to bring with you the following-

• your ID card
• your hospital appointment ticket.

To attend the Dermatology Laser Unit, you must first be seen by a Dermatologist in the Dermatology Clinic, to determine whether Laser treatment is indicated.

You can expect to be given your first appointment within 1 month. On the day of your appointment you can expect to be seen by a doctor within 30 minutes of your appointment. Exceptional circumstances or emergencies may prevent us from reaching this target.

The Dermatology Operating Theatre at Sir Paul Boffa Hospital is located on the first floor of the building. You are first seen by a Consultant Dermatologist at the Out-patient Clinics following which you are given an appointment for the operation to take place. Minor-operations carried out in this theatre include biopsies, and excisions. Patients do not need to fast prior to the procedure as these are normally carried out under local anaesthesia and may go back home or to their normal activities post procedure. Only on a few occasions when a ‘flap’ is carried out does the patient need to bring a bag for an overnight stay. In this case the patient would need to stay for observations at the Dermatology Ward – next door to the theatre. During the procedure, the doctor and a nurse will be present. Relatives are kindly requested to wait outside except when children or patients with special needs are concerned. The procedure takes from 30 minutes to 1 hour and the wound is usually covered by a dressing. The nurse would advice on care of the wound and when to attend for the removal of sutures. When a follow up appointment is necessary, this should be done at the Out-patients Department’s reception desk before leaving.

The Dermatology Operating Theatre operates from Monday to Saturday during the following hours-

8.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.

When visiting the Dermatology Theatre you are requested to bring with you the following-

• your ID card
• your hospital appointment ticket
• a bag with your necessities, in those cases where a patient is required to stay overnight.

To attend for a minor operation first an appointment would have been carried out as explained earlier, then from the outcome of that consultation the doctor will make an appointment so that a minor operation will be carried out.

All minor operations are elective and appointments are given by the Dermatologists. There is no waiting time for urgent cases. The minor operation takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour so it is important that appointment times are kept. Exceptional circumstances or emergencies may prevent us from reaching this target.

When a follow up appointment is necessary after the minor operation you can expect to be seen by the doctor within 1 month.

The Genito-Urinary Clinic is open to everyone, irrespective of age. It offers a sensitive and confidential service for counselling, investigating, testing and treatment to anyone who may be at risk from sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. All services are completely confidential and free of charge – your GP will not be informed of your visit unless you give permission.

Referral procedure-

• self-referral or a GP referral
• patients do not need a referral ticket
• they can book their own appointment by phoning on 21 227981 or via their GP
• the waiting list is 2 weeks, but urgent cases are seen at short notice after direct discussion with the referring GP or patient.

Patients are referred to the inpatient ward when they require certain treatment that is administered at the hospital and continuous observation from the hospital staff. The ward contains 11 beds. There are 3 single rooms and 4 two-bedded rooms. Male and female patients do not share the same room in any ward, consequently privacy is assured. The ward is situated on the first floor of Sir Paul Boffa Hospital, Floriana. Lift services provide access to the ward. Further information is available in the booklet available at the ward.

Referral procedure-

• as a patient you are referred to the inpatient ward when you require any sort of treatment as has been explained earlier. The doctor will refer you to the ward and will discharge you from the ward when you are completely healed.

When you visit our Department you can expect us to-

• care for you in a clean and safe environment
• make it easy for everyone to use our services
• try to understand your total situation, to assist you as fully as possible
• provide you with information leaflets about the clinics within our department explaining briefly what the ailment is, treatment to be taken and any precautions that you might take as a patient
• give you the particulars of the Consultant and telephone numbers when an appointment has been fixed
• if the Consultant requires further investigations, the patient can be referred to take a blood sample at the Bleeding Room at Sir Paul Boffa Hospital. The result of these tests will be referred to the patient at the next appointment
• patients with special needs, those coming from other hospitals, those that come to the Dermatology Department by ambulance and Gozitan patients, will be given priority over other patients
• give priority to clients with a Special Identity Card.

When you write to us you can expect us to-

• acknowledge your correspondence within 1 working day of receipt
• send an initial reply within 5 working days of receipt
• send a final reply to more complex correspondence within 10 working days of initial reply.

When you phone us you can expect us to-

• answer promptly
• identify ourselves and our position.

When you send us an email, you can expect us to-

• send an immediate acknowledgement
• send an initial reply within 2 working days of acknowledgement
• send a final reply to more complex correspondence within 5 working days of initial reply.

When you request an appointment, you can expect us to-

• send an appointment by post within 8 working days of receiving your referral note.

You can expect all our staff, including doctors and nurses to-

• identify themselves by wearing nametags

• be caring and understanding
• be courteous and approachable
• be clear and helpful in their dealings with you
• you can rest assured that if you voice any information to the doctors and nurses they are bound to keep it in a confidential manner.

You can help us give you a better service by-

• being courteous and helpful with all our staff
• giving us exact and correct information
• being punctual if you have an appointment
• informing us if you cannot keep your appointment
• giving attention to your personal hygiene
• take any prescribed medicine before your appointment
• bring your Identity Card with you
• bring your appointment note and hospital ticket
• bring and present any special ID cards that entitles you to certain privileges (such as Kartanzjan 75 +, Care Workers, People with Special Needs).

You have the right to be prescribed appropriate drugs and medicines. If your income falls within a certain bracket you may be entitled to a Pink Card. This card gives you the right to get your medicines free of charge. Ask at your local Social Security District Office for more imformation.

If you suffer from one of a number of specified chronic conditions, you also have a right to get your medicines free of charge. These conditions are specified in a list known as Schedule V. Your family doctor should be able to advise you more on this.

If you think that we have failed to maintain our delivery standards for these services and you want to lodge a complaint, you may write to the Customer Care Office at the following address-

Customer Care Office

Sir Paul Boffa Hospital

Harper Lane

Floriana VLT 14

You will receive an acknowledgement within two working days of receipt and a full answer within ten working days of acknowledgement.

We continuously strive to provide a service that meets your needs and we welcome any comments and suggestions for service improvement. Kindly give us your comments and suggestions by filling in a feedback form and leaving it in the suggestion box that we have made available at our reception desk.

All information is correct at time of going to print. Information is continuously updated on the Charter Support Unit website and Ministry of Health website.

April 2003

Published by the Charter Support Unit, OPM

http://www.servicecharters.gov.mt

Printed at the Government Press