Mater Dei consultant cardiologist under investigation for breach of rules

The health authorities have initiated an investigation into a leading consultant cardiologist at Mater Dei following reports that she has been abusing public service rules and her employment conditions for years, the ministry told The Shift.

The Shift is reliably informed that consultant cardiologist Mariosa Xuereb obtained permission from the government to work on a reduced-hours contract at Mater Dei due to a claimed medical condition.

In reply to questions, a spokesperson for the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Joseph Chectuti, said his office was unaware of the breach.

Yet he confirmed an investigation was launched as soon as the office received the information from The Shift, and action would be taken if Xuereb was found to be breaching the rules, which dictate that she cannot work privately once she cannot offer her full-time service to public health patients.

The same consultant cardiologist spends her days seeing patients at her private clinic in Ta’ Xbiex, together with her husband, consultant cardiologist Robert Xuereb, who was, until a few weeks ago, the chairman of the cardiology department responsible for ensuring rules were observed by staff.

Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela recently appointed Robert Xuereb CEO of the Foundation for Medical Services (FMS), replacing Carmen Ciantar, who was former health minister Chris Fearne’s choice.

The breach of rules irks other professionals at Mater Dei Hospital, who cannot see other patients privately.

A health ministry circular issued by the permanent secretary (DH 50/2024) last month reminded all employees that they cannot conduct private work if they benefit from reduced-hour arrangements.

Quoting the Public Service Management Code (PSMC), the circular stated that “public employees who benefit from modern work practices and work-life balance measures, with the exception of remote working, flexi-time, and flexi-week may not engage in private work or work with voluntary organisations, even after office hours.”

Xuereb sees patients at ‘The Heart Clinic’ in Ta’ Xbiex every day between 9am and 9pm except Tuesdays and Fridays when she sees outpatients at Mater Dei Hospital between 9am and 1pm.

Sources told The Shift that “everyone at Mater Dei knows that Mariosa Xuereb works privately for long hours” and expressed surprise that the health ministry was unaware of the situation.

Efforts to reach Xuereb at her clinic in Ta’ Xbiex proved futile, as the receptionist always replied that Xuereb was seeing patients.

Several patients who spoke to The Shift confirmed that they had been seen by Xuereb several times at her clinic in Ta’ Xbiex in the past months. Some complained that they were given appointments at inappropriate times, including after 10pm.

Mariosa Xuereb and her husband, Robert, own the’ Heart Clinic’ in Abate Rigord Street.

The Shift reported that Robert Xuereb insisted on keeping his chairmanship at the cardiology department and his new position at the FMS on a package of €122,000 a year. The ministry did not allow this, so he was replaced by another cardiologist.

Robert Xuereb was still allowed to keep his private practice and continue to see patients at Mater Dei.