This Charter

Who we are

How to contact us

Opening hours

Our commitment

How you can help us

What we do

Our services

If you are not satisfied with our service

Learning from you

This charter outlines the services we provide, the standards of service we aim to achieve and which you can expect from us. It also tells you what to do if you would like our service to change or improve. We regularly monitor and seek to improve the quality of our customer service according to the standards in the Quality Service Charter. Through this charter we are committed to providing you with a quality service.

The Health Promotion Department works to help Maltese people improve their health and avoid preventable illness.

We try to do this by:

• enhancing knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and values that are conducive to good health

• facilitating healthy behaviour by enhancing personal skills, promoting environmental change and advocating lifestyle policies favourable to health

• supporting the adoption of healthy behaviour through service provision and through re-orientation of existing services.

This work is done mainly in co-ordinated settings where people live, learn, work and spend their leisure time. Many times these are the family, school and workplace, within which we find the whole spectrum of the population.

The Health Promotion Department is situated in Floriana. You can contact us by:

• writing to the:

Health Promotion Department

1 Telgha tal-Kurcifiss

Floriana CMR 02

• phoning us on: 21 231 247 or 21 227 984

• faxing us on: 21 235 107

• accessing our website at: http://www.synapse.net.mt/healthpromotion

You may also visit us at:

Centru Taghrif dwar Sahhtek

15 Triq Merkanti

Valletta CMR 01

• phoning us on: 22 992 579

Further to this, a Health in Malta website is maintained by the Department of Health Information. It contains a wide range of information on the health of the Maltese nation and on Government health services. The Health Promotion webpage may be accessed on: http://www.health.gov.mt.

We are open to the public as follows:

Floriana: Monday to Friday

7.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m.

Valletta : Monday to Friday

7.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.

Saturday

7.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

When contacting or visiting our office you can expect us to:

• treat you with courtesy and respect

• keep all information about you in strict confidence

• be responsive to your requests in the shortest possible time

• clearly explain the details we need from you to help us meet your information needs

• answer general enquiry correspondence within 5 working days

• answer telephone calls promptly and courteously and put you in touch with the member or members of staff most qualified to meet your request. In some cases we may ask you to follow up your call with a request in writing

• see visitors within 10 minutes of any appointment made at the office

• deal with you in a clean and welcoming office environment

• reply to acknowledged electronic mail within 1 working day if data is readily available

• ensure that all communications carry a contact name and telephone number or e-mail address

• inform you if there is going to be a delay in providing you with the service or information requested.

You can help us deliver a better quality service by:

• completing all application forms clearly

• informing us immediately if you have any difficulties with our service

• being courteous and co-operative with our staff.

The department operates through:

• mass media education and various national campaigns which cover health-related themes like nutrition and food hygiene, smoking cessation, physical activity, accident-prevention, sexually-transmitted infections including HIV and AIDS, women's health issues, stress and mental health

• publications and resource material produced by the Department, which are made available to the public in support of its campaigns. These are available from Centru Taghrif dwar Sahhtek, Triq Merkanti, Valletta (tel. 2299 2579) or by post.

• providing support services, such as the following, to people wishing to adopt healthier behaviour.

The Department provides information on certain health issues such as smoking cessation and passive smoking (Tel 21 231 247), nutrition (Tel 21 242 862) and sexually transmitted diseases (Tel 21 231 247 or 21 231 466) to the general public. You may remain anonymous. Further information may be obtained from the Department by appointment or by referral to appropriate centres.

This clinic can diagnose and treat sexually transmitted infections (STIs) guaranteeing absolute confidentiality. You may phone for an appointment (without any need for a doctor's referral note) at Boffa Hospital on tel. 21 227 981 and the Health Promotion Department on tel. 21 231 466.

This is a service run by volunteers and is available on request. Persons affected directly or indirectly by HIV can get one-to-one counselling through the Department. A limited amount of pre- and post-HIV test counselling is conducted on the Department's premises. A confidential helpline on tel. 21 231 466 is available during working hours.

The Department and Caritas also run a counselling service known as Xefaq. This can be accessed on telephone number 21 245 358 (Caritas).

The Department provides assistance and support to non-governmental organisations and self-help groups working in the health field.

Smokers intent on quitting are encouraged to apply for these sessions, currently operating in five Health Centres. These clinics are conducted free of charge. A telephone helpline is operated during office hours on 21 231 247. You can apply using the relative application forms available at all Health Centres and at the Centru Taghrif dwar Sahhtek. You will receive confirmation of your appointment within a month.

Overweight persons wanting to lose weight and needing the support of professionals may apply to attend these group sessions, which are co-ordinated by qualified professionals. A telephone helpline is in operation on 21 242 862 between 8.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. from Monday to Friday. The applications are available from our Centru Taghrif dwar Sahhtek as regarding the programme being held by the department. You will receive confirmation of your appointment within a month. These sessions are free of charge.

It is important that you are satisfied with our service. If you think that we have failed to maintain our service delivery standards you can lodge a complaint. We will look into all complaints as they also help us improve our service and because your complete satisfaction is essential to us.

If you would like to lodge a complaint, it is best to first speak to the person who served you. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may call at or write to our Customer Care Unit at the following address:

Health Promotion Department

1 Telgha tal-Kurcifiss

Floriana CMR 02

We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and you will have a full reply within 2 weeks from the day you lodge your complaint.

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 by filling in a Feedback Form available at our office and return it to us either by post or by leaving it in the suggestion box that we have made available at our reception area.

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

First printed April 2000

March 2003