The Schedule V (Yellow card) office is situated at St Luke’s Hospital. Any patient suffering from a condition which is listed under the Fifth Schedule of the Social Security Act can benefit from the service offered at this office. This schedule lists diseases and conditions in respect of which free medicines are provided irrespective of financial position. This Charter outlines your rights and responsibilities as a patient when visiting our office. Through this Charter we are committing ourselves to providing you with a quality service.

The Schedule V (Yellow card) office is situated at St Luke’s Hospital in Gwardamangia. You can contact us by:

• visiting us or writing to the:

Schedule V (Yellow card) office

St Luke’s Hospital

Gwardamangia MSD 07

• phoning on: 25951402

21241251/21249461 extension 1402

 

The Schedule V (Yellow card) office is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the following hours:

• 8.30 a.m. – 12.00 noon

You can expect all staff you meet to wear a tag indicating both their name and their grade within the Schedule V (Yellow card) office. All the staff who deals with you is expected 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.

Personal information provided is protected and used in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2001.

An application for a Schedule V (yellow card) can originate from three different sources namely; from the Outpatient departments, from the Hospital Wards and from the Health Centres. The Schedule V Office receives the applications and checks whether the application is valid or not.

When the application is valid the necessary data is entered in the computer. The yellow cards are printed, checked and then signed, stamped and sent to you by post.

An application may not be valid if one or more of the following reasons are missing:

• full address/identity card number
• treatment/diagnosis
• diagnosis is not on Schedule V list
• authorised consultant’s signature and rubber stamp
• clear handwriting.

The details of invalid applications are inputted in the computer and applications are sent back to the Consultant for correction. When the necessary details are included in the application form they are processed.

• The patient is referred by the GP for an appointment with a Consultant either at the Health Centre or the government hospital
• The Consultant then fills an application form for the Schedule V (Yellow card) to be issued
• If the diagnosis is according to the Schedule V list the request is approved and a card will be issued
• Special medicines need an approval by the Drug and Therapeutics Committee and the card is issued with a note to inform the patient that a special permission is needed for that particular medicine
• The patient may have a valid second card for another disease

• You can expect to receive your Schedule V (Yellow card) within 15 working days from when a valid application is received at the Schedule V (Yellow card) office.

When a patient loses a card an affidavit is required. The following procedure is followed:

• An affidavit form is filled

• Patient goes to Billing Section at St Luke’s Hospital Ground Floor to pay €1.16
• Patient takes affidavit in front of authorised persons
• Patient is given the yellow card on the same day.

Foreign patients who are also entitled for the Schedule V (Yellow card) are those who:

• are married to a Maltese
• have a dual nationality, one of which is to be Maltese
• covered by Maltese Social Security legislation
• have a Maltese father or mother (for children under 18 years of age).

Other foreign patients (who fall under the Convention) may be entitled for the Schedule V (Yellow card) after following this policy:

• patients who attend the Schedule V (Yellow card) office are given a letter to take to the Director of Social Security (DSS) for the necessary permit and afterwards approval is sent directly to the Schedule V (Yellow card) office
• you can expect to receive your Schedule V (yellow card) within 15 working days from when the Schedule V (Yellow card) office receives the approval.

When you visit our office you can expect us to:

• care for you in a clean and safe environment
• make it easy for everyone to use our services
• be clear and helpful in our dealings with you
• clients with a Special Identity card are given priority accordingly.

You can help us give you a better service by:

• being courteous and helpful with all our staff
• giving us exact and correct information
• coming to the Schedule V (Yellow card) office according to our opening days for the public and keeping with the opening hours
• bringing your Identity Card with you
• bringing your hospital appointment ticket
• bringing and presenting any special ID cards that entitle you to certain privileges (such as Kartanzjan 75+, People with Special Needs)
• bringing and presenting any prescribed notes that were given to you by your doctor or consultant.

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 Officer in charge Schedule V (Yellow card) office at the following address:

Schedule V (Yellow card) office

St Luke’s Hospital

Gwardamangia MSD 07

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 the Feedback form and leaving it in the suggestion box or affix a stamp and send it by post to our office.

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

April 2004

Published by the Charter Support Unit, OPM

Printed at the Government Press

Photography, DOI