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4 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 15 JANUARY 2014 Transfer of ECT to Mt Carmel 'reverses time-machine', says Richmond MATTHEW VELLA MENTAL health charity Richmond Foundation has flagged a series of concerns over the national health policy, specifically over the transfer of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to the Mount Carmel Hospital. Over the years, Richmond Foundation has been calling for a clear and well-coordinated national mental health strategy so that decisions in this field reach targeted milestones. But the foundation said it was concerned that ECT provision for persons with mental health problems had been transferred to Mt. Carmel mental health hospital. "Although Mt Carmel is a specialised hospital in the field, most patients who go to Psychiatric Outpatients, Mater Dei Hospital, will now be requested to go to another hospital, of which they are not official patients, to undergo such a procedure. Whether we like it or not, Mt Carmel is still feared by many and these persons are likely to refuse or discontinue this essential treatment to avoid going to Mt Carmel Hospital," Richmond Foundation's operations manager Holger Saliba said. ECT is proven to be a very effective in treating depression when other psychiatric treatment is ineffective. Saliba said this decision reversed recent strategic decisions where psychiatric services had been mainstreamed by being provided at health centres and other community outlets. "The provision of ECT should have followed suit; this would have been consonant with the aim of moving towards enhanced and comprehensive community-based mental health services," Saliba said. "Shifting services, which are ideally provided in the community, back to hospitals or institutions simply reverses the time-machine. This decision even goes against the spirit of the New Mental Health Act which stipulates that treatment at hospitals should be the last resort." Saliba said the Richmond Foundation was urging the authorities Mount Carmel Hospital to revise the decision. "Mental health services should not be regarded as the Cinderella of health. The lack of a clear strategy is like- Former PBS head confirms he was told to absent himself THE former head of news of the Public Broadcasting Services, Natalino Fenech, has confirmed under oath that he was indeed absent from the PBS newsroom for 10 days, prior to the appointment of veteran journalist Reno Bugeja as the new head of news. Fenech, today a lecturer at the University of Malta, confirmed in court that he was asked to avail himself of leave and was absent from the PBS newsroom for ten days. His evidence also confirms that in between the 8 and 13 May 2013, there was no appointed head of news. As Fenech's libel case against MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan and maltatoday.com. mt editor Matthew Vella continued, the former head of news has filed an affidavit explaining his absence from work during May 2013 and the reasons why he deemed a news item published by the online news website as defamatory. Natalino Fenech On 8 May 2013, MaltaToday. com.mt published a story entitled Birkirkara Local Council 2nd Floor, Birkirkara Civic Centre, Tumas Fenech street, Birkirkara.BKR 2527 Tel: 21442626/21485041 Fax: 21442644 BIRKIRKARA Email: birkirkara.lc@gov.mt + Nominations for Gieh Birkirkara 2013 Birkirkara Local Council is receiving nominations from the Public for the award of 'Gieh Birkirkara'. This award will be given to residents who distinguish themselves in any camp, be it social cultural philantropic, sport, etc., or who have somehow given their contribution to the locality. Applications are available from the Local Council's Office and are to be presented to the same office by not later than Tuesday, 19th November 2013 at noon. 'PBS spent 10 days without head of news'. The article reported that Fenech was no longer present in the PBS newsroom pending his replacement by veteran PBS journalist Reno Bugeja. This allegedly left the PBS's newsroom without a head of news for 10 days. Reno Bugeja was appointed head of news at PBS on 13 May 2013. In the sworn affidavit, Natalino Fenech claimed the news item was defamatory as it alleged that he abandoned the newsroom and left the journalists to their own whims. He explained his absence due to him "being abroad on PBS duties" but that he had been instructed by the PBS board of directors to "stay on leave until the future of the newsroom is decided." Fenech reiterated that while abroad. he was in constant contact with the newsroom through telephone and email. Natalino Fenech also published an email from PBS chief executive officer Anton Attard to him, dated 8 May 2013. The email reads that, "further to instructions from the Chairman of the Board of Directors, it has been decided that in your absence Reno Bugeja is being appointed Acting Head of News. The Board of Directors will be convening on Monday (13 May) to discuss and decide on any future developments relating to the PBS News Room. In the meantime, pending further directions from the Board of Directors, you are being asked to remain on paid leave until Tuesday 14 May." Other documents show that on Friday, 10 May, 2013, Natalino Fenech was the moderator of a meeting at the CIRCOM Regional Annual Conference held at Santiago de Compostela, in Spain. The meeting Fenech moderated was entitled 'Cooperation & Coproductions around CIRCOM Regional'. The case continues. Magistrate Francesco Depasquale is presiding. ly to lead to management by crisis and short-sighted decisions... Richmond Foundation is committed to lobby for more humane and community mental health services as it has always done since its inception, more than twenty years ago." Government 'rushing' co-ed reform – Joe Cassar Joe Cassar JEROME CARUANA CILIA COEDUCATION reform is being rushed through by government, Nationalist MP Joe Cassar has said, whose party is demanding social impact study on the introduction of co-ed schools. Education Minister Evarist Bartolo has defended his government's co-education pilot project. "It's not a new concept in Malta since private schools are already co-ed," Bartolo said on PBS's Reporter, hosted by MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan. "The best educational systems around the globe are in countries where cross-party consensus existed," Bartolo said. "However, in a parliamentary democracy disagreement is vital and necessary. The main difference between the two main parties is that the government is committed to publishing every study that is carried out, and not use statistics to conceal reality." Cassar replied that government had a duty to put forward "doable proposals". Malta Union of Teachers president Kevin Bonello said the MUT was in favour of co-education in secondary schools, but that further consultation needed to be carried out, noting that the working committee that was set up had "regrettably never met". Bartolo rebutted that the committee could not meet at an earlier stage because it took up to three months to gather the necessary data on the pilot project. "The material collected involved the parents, teachers, head of schools and students. Professor Mark Borg is analysing and evaluating the data. To date, the co-education reform seems to be a positive experience." Cassar said the PN was not against the concept, pointing out that the previous Nationalist administration had introduced a similar initiative at the Malta College for Sports. "But the co-education reform will leave a drastic impact on the Maltese education system. However, the government is yet to conduct a social impact study and it has not embarked on a consultation process with the relevant stakeholders. The government is rushing the scheme," Cassar said. "The Opposition is urging the government to hold a wide consultation process with all relevant stakeholders, namely teachers' unions, parents, students and learning support assistants prior to implementing the reforms." In Malta, there are five co-ed schools: the Malta College for Sports and four private schools. Santa Clara College, the girls' secondary school in Pembroke, is set to become the first co-ed state school in Malta. Reporter is aired live every Monday at 6:55pm on TVM. The programme is repeated on TVM2 on Monday at 10:15pm.

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