Back to top
DownloadCOUNTRY: Malta
KNOWLEDGE BROKER: Andrew Xuereb, Chief Nursing Manager, Ministry for Health, Malta
SEPEN thanks the knowledge brokers for their contribution in checking and completing the country-information. SEPEN is accountable for the content of the country profiles.
| Type of information | Source | Year | Remarks |
| Table 1: Health workforce stock and replacement | Eurostat | 2018 | Age characteristics of the nursing stock are not reported. |
| Figure 1: Mobility level in absolute numbers | OECD | 2018 | Only immigration data for OECD countries are available. The data produced are therefore incomplete. Not all OECD-countries register the country of origin of incoming health professionals and some do not register incoming health professionals at all. Emigration data are based on immigration numbers in other OECD-countries, as emigration as such is not registered nor reported. |
| Figure 2a: Number of practicing physicians per 1000 inhabitants | Eurostat | 2018 | Figure 2a presents regional distribution of physicians. Maps are formatted according to the NUTS classification obtained from Eurostat or recent national data provided by the key country informants. The national average is derived from the OECD/Eurostat databases, and the EU average from the “Health at a Glance: Europe” report published in November 2020. |
| Figure 2b: Number of practicing nurses and midwives per 1000 inhabitants | Eurostat | 2018 | Figure 2b presents regional distrubution of nursing and midwifery. Maps are formatted according to the NUTS classification obtained from Eurostat or recent national data provided by the key country informants. The national average is derived from the OECD/Eurostat databases, and the EU average from the “Health at a Glance: Europe” report published in November 2020. |
| Statistic | Number | Data Year |
| Total population | 493 559 | 2019 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 82,5 | 2018 |
Source: Eurostat
| Licensed to practice | Practising | Professionally active | |||||
| Statistic | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Data year |
| Physicians | 2 491 | 5,14 | 1 925 | 3,97 | 1 969 | 4,06 | 2018 |
| > Generalist Medical Practitioner | Not reported | Not reported | 396 | 0,82 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| > Specialist Medical Practitioner | Not reported | Not reported | 1 058 | 2,18 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Nurses | Not reported | Not reported | 3 772 | 7,78 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Midwives | 394 | 0,81 | 239 | 0,49 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Dentists | 271 | 0,56 | 232 | 0,48 | 232 | 0,48 | 2018 |
| Pharmacists | 1 252 | 2,58 | 624 | 1,29 | 976 | 2,01 | 2018 |
| Physiotherapists | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
Source: Eurostat
Not reported
| Name | Role | Website |
| Hospitals | ||
| The human resource department of the Ministry of Health | The Department of Human Resources (HR Dept.), within the Mental Health Services (MHS), targets current and future employees. We are committed to:
|
https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/mch/Pages/Non-Clinical-Services/human-resources.aspx |
| The human resource organisations of the public administration | ||
| Employment Corporation |
| Name | Role | Website |
| Ministry of Energy and Health | The main actor in the health system is the Ministry of Energy and Health, responsible for the provision of health services, health services regulation and standards, and the provision of occupational health and safety. | https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/Pages/health.aspx |
| Medical Council | Regulatory body, protecting, promoting and maintaining citizen health, ensuring safe practice and proper standards of healthcare in the medical and dental professions. | https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/regcounc/medicalcouncil/Pages/medcounc.aspx |
Not reported
| Name | Role | Website |
| Medical Association of Malta | Aim of the Association is to regulate relations between members in the profession and between members and their employers or employers’ associations in accordance with the Laws of Malta. | http://www.mam.org.mt/ |
| Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses | Set up by midwives working in the Government Sector, the Union aims to play a decisive role in shaping all matters appertaining to the development of policy. | http://mumn.org/ |
| Dental Association | The Dental Association of Malta represents all registered Dental Surgeons of Malta. | http://www.dam.com.mt/ |
| Chamber of Pharmacists | The Chamber of Pharmacists represents the pharmacy profession in Malta by promoting the safeguarding of the health of the public through policies and its members. The Chamber is a pioneer in the introduction of the Pharmaceutical Care Concept in Malta. | https://spizjara.org/ |
| Malta Association of Physiotherapists | The Malta Association of Physiotherapists represents the physiotherapy profession in Malta and Gozo. | https://physiomalta.com/ |
Not reported
| Original name | European Structural Funds Projects |
| Name in English | ESF 02.053 – Developing Allied Health Capacity to Sustain Health Care Needs |
| Short description | European Structural Funds aimed to sponsor Maltese Trainees to train overseas in courses including Orthoptics, Optometry, and Genetic Counselling, thereby facilitating foreign training. |
| Publication date | |
| Link to full text | https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/ahcs/Pages/ESF-projects.aspx |
| Original name | Competency Framework for Senior Staff Nurse and Senior Midwives |
| Name in English | |
| Short description | A framework incorporating core competencies which are transferable across different practice settings and client populations, serving as a benchmark of practice and professional development. |
| Publication date | June 2016 |
| Link to full text | https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/department-of-health-services/nursing-services/Documents/Competency%20Framework/Doc%202%20-%20Information%20Booklet.pdf |
| Original name | Performance Management Programme |
| Name in English | |
| Short description |
Developed by the Nursing Services Directorate, the Performance Management Programme serves as an appraisal system to evaluate the clinical performance and management of nurses and midwives working within the public services. |
| Publication date | 28 November 2018 |
| Link to full text | https://deputyprimeministercms.gov.mt/en/department-of-health-services/nursing-services/Documents/PMP%20Handbook.pdf |
| Original name | Public Service Management Code |
| Name in english | |
| Short description | The Public Service Management Code regulates the conduct of public officers of Malta, and provides opportunity for citizens to access public services. Among others, the PSMC provides up to 5 years of unpaid leave for health professionals to engage in another job in the private sector, and facilitates the re-employment of professionals. |
| Publication date | 3 January 2020 |
| Link to full text | https://publicservice.gov.mt/en/Documents/Public%20Service%20Management%20Code/PSMC.pdf |
| Original name | MUM Campaigns |
| Name in English | |
| Short description | Addressing the undersupply of nurses and midwives by promoting the nursing and midwifery profession with campaigns. |
| Publication date | |
| Link to full text | http://mumn.org/ |
| Original name | Health Care Professions Act |
| Name in English | |
| Short description | An Act to regulate the practice of healthcare professions in Malta. |
| Publication date | 21 November 2003 |
| Link to full text | http://justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=8930&l=1 |
| Original name | Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct for Nurses and Midwives |
| Name in English | |
| Short description | Each nurse is obliged by law to follow the principles of the code of ethics and standard of professional conduct.
The code states that : Nurses and midwives must: 2.2.1 Recognise and work within the limits of one’s competence and scope of practice. 2.2.2 Participate in activities that contribute to the ongoing development of the professional body of knowledge throughout their working lives. 2.2.3 Seek to maintain and improve their professional knowledge and competence especially in their field of practice and should take every reasonable opportunity to achieve this knowledge and competence. 2.2.4 Update one’s professional knowledge and skills by engaging in continuing professional development so that care provided shall be based on evidence-based practice. |
| Publication date | January 2020 |
| Link to full text | https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/department-of-health-services/nursing-services/Documents/Legal%20Framework/Code%20of%20Ethics%20and%20Standards%20of%20Professional%20Conduct%20for%20Nurses%20and%20Midwives%20-%20Final.pdf |
| Original name | Continuing Professional Development page of the nursing section of the Maltese Ministry of Health. |
| Name (in English | |
| Short description | The Nursing Services Directorate of the Ministry of Health provides guidelines for CPD for nurses in the public service and links to the requested training. |
| Publication date | N/A |
| Link to full text | https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/department-of-health-services/nursing-services/Pages/training-cpd.aspx |
| Original name | Curricula of nurses in the public service |
| Name in English | |
| Short description | The public service of Malta requests all nurses to maintain and improve personal and professional knowledge and competence as appropriate as part of their job description.
As part of the salary package, a yearly allowance is foreseen for CPD. |
| Publication date | N/A |
| Link to full text | https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/department-of-health-services/nursing-services/Pages/nursing-and-midwifery-job-descriptions.aspx
and https://secure.etc.gov.mt/services/homedir/temp/Staff_Nurse.pdf |
| Name (original language) | Subsidiary legislation 458.23
licencing of private medical clinics Regulations |
| Name (best effort translation) | |
| Short description | Local legislation, regulating the operations of private clinics |
| Publication date | 10 November 1995 |
| Link to full text | http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=11263&l=1 |
Not reported
Not reported
List of sources specific to this country:
Last updated 10 October 2020
The country fiches are produced under the EU Health Programme 2014-2020 under a service contract with the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) acting under the mandate from the European Commission. The information and views set out in the country sheets are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission/Executive Agency. The Commission/Executive Agency does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this study.
Neither the Commission/Executive Agency nor any person acting on the Commission’s/Executive Agency’s behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.
This website was produced under the EU Health Programme 2014-2020 under a service contract with the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) acting under the mandate from the European Commission. The information and views set out in this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission/Executive Agency. The Commission/Executive Agency does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this website. Neither the Commission/Executive Agency nor any person acting on the Commission's / Executive Agency's behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.