28th March 2000: Health Promotion Department and Health Statistics Service Quality Service Charter launched.

The quality of health services in Malta has reached high  levels and this was confirmed by the latest WHO report which placed Malta in  fifth place out of a total of 191 countries.  "Apart from a commitment to achieve higher levels of quality there is an even greater commitment to improve the way in which the service is given."  This was said by the Minister for Health, Dr Louis Deguara, at the launch of the fifth and sixth Health Division Quality Service Charters.    Minister of Justice and Local Government, Dr Austin Gatt said that the change programme being implemented within the Public Service proves that the focus of the service improvement exercised is indeed the customer.  In the next  two weeks, he continued, the government will be presenting a paper on e-government which will ensure that the public service is rendered more efficient and accessible to the general public."  In the following weeks the Cabinet will also be discussing the Public Service Act.

Hugo Agius Muscat, Director, Department of Health Information said that the Health Statistics Service collects data about local health services which is then made accessible to the general public.  The Health Statistics Service Quality Service Charter lists the type of statistical information provided by the department and explains how the different channels through which the clients of this service may access this service.

Maria Ellul, Director,  Department of Health Promotion, said that her Department maintains constant contact with the public and that as information  is disseminated, the department's services will become even more popular with the general public.

(as reported in In-Nazzjon of 29 June 2000)