https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/32944 2026-04-04T20:06:42Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/25822 Title: Evaluating an ethics summer school : an innovative approach in discussing and teaching ethics Authors: Abela, Jurgen; Mallia, Pierre; Abela, Marika Abstract: Introduction Ethical issues commonly arise in end of life (EoL) care. An ethics summer school, part of an Erasmus+ project, was held locally. It brought together professionals to discuss problematic areas and contribute towards the development of a curriculum on ethical issues. Methodology An end-of-summer school questionnaire was distributed to all participants. The questions in the questionnaire were based on a literature review carried out prior to the summer school. Mixed methodology was used, applying content analysis to describe the qualitative aspect of the study. Results All 44 participants filled in their questionnaire. 86.4% felt that the summer school reached their expectations and 90% declared that their intended objectives were reached. The most common ethically challenging issue in practice was dealing with artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH) – 22% of responses - whilst the most requested topic to be included in a future curriculum on ethical issues was communication, followed by patient autonomy. 64% of respondents stated that their personal beliefs influence their decision making in EoL care. Conclusion This was the first ever ethics summer school hosted locally. It is an innovative way of dealing with ethical issues in EoL care. Participants received the summer school very favourably. Areas that would be included in the eventual development of an ethics curriculum were identified. The results will also be used to inform future summer schools. 2017-12-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/25821 Title: Patient attendance at a primary health care centre in Malta : a cross-sectional observational study Authors: Baldacchino, Marilyn; Abela, Jurgen; Reiff, Elanja Marie; Grima, Julian; Attard, Lorna; Ellul, Robert Abstract: Introduction The aim of the study was to describe the reason for consultation of patients attending the General Practitioner (GP) service at a major local health centre and also to get a clinical profile of the patients making use of such health service. This study is based in the publiclyfunded primary health system in Malta and focuses on Mosta Health Centre. Methodology This was a cross-sectional observational study carried out in January 2017. Only the patients seen in the GP clinics were included. All six authors are practicing GPs. All the patients that the authors encountered in the GP clinics were included in the study. The fact that all authors work in different shifts and days allowed for a broad and random inclusion of patients. Patients attending out-ofhours and in weekends were also included. A pilot oneweek period of data collection was carried out. Thereafter, all six authors had an Excel spreadsheet uploaded on the work computer system in the GP consulting rooms, so that patient data was inputted in real-time at the end of each consultation. Data was inputted in Excel 2010 and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22. Results A total of 820 patients were included in the study. 51.8% of patients were females, whilst 74.8% of patients were born in Malta. 50.2% of patients raised more than one issue during a single consultation, whilst the most common co-morbidity noted was hypertension. The most common reasons for consultation were related to the respiratory and musculoskeletal systems. Various significant associations were observed, most importantly being between the time of attendance and number of issues brought up during a consultation; between being born in Malta and number of issues brought up during a consultation; and between age and number of issues brought up during a single consultation. Conclusion This study involved 820 patients attending Mosta Health Centre over a one-month period during winter 2017. During a single episode of care (visit), Maltese nationals consult for a greater number of issues. In addition, they have a greater number of co-morbidities than non-Maltese nationals. People attending between 08.00 and 17.00 hours tend to present with a greater number of issues for management. Suggestions for service development have been put forward in the discussion. Ideally, such studies should be conducted independently in different health centres given the notable differences in the catchment areas, and during different months of the year. 2017-12-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/25813 Title: Journal of the Malta College of Family Doctors : volume 6 : issue 3 Authors: Mallia, Pierre Abstract: 1/ Prof. Pierre MALLIA - Continuing to revamp the MCFD -- 2/ Dr Mario R SAMMUT, & Dr Gunther ABELA - Empowering the continuing professional development of general practitioner trainers in Malta through educational needs assessment -- 3/ Dr Martha GRIMA, Dr Marilyn BALDACCHINO, & Dr Jurgen ABELA - A brief evaluation of care at a diabetic clinic in a primary health care centre -- 4/ Dr Jurgen ABELA, Prof. Pierre MALLIA, & Ms Marika ABELA - Evaluating an ethics summer school: an innovative approach in discussing and teaching ethics -- 5/ Dr Marilyn BALDACCHINO, Dr Jurgen ABELA, Dr Elanja Marie REIFF, Dr Julian GRIMA, Dr Lorna ATTARD, & Dr Robert ELLUL - Patient attendance at a primary health care centre in Malta : a cross-sectional observational study. 2017-12-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/25811 Title: Continuing to revamp the MCFD Abstract: Firstly I would like to congratulate Dr Philip Sciortino, vice-President of the College, who is now presidentelect. This means that after my term as President come to an end at the end of 2018, he will take over as the new President of the College. The term of one year for president-elect is meant for the person to take over and understand what is going on in the college. Of course it is a safeguard against someone coming in new from outside council and therefore needing a lot of time to come to terms with current issues (as had happened to me and hence the reason why I introduced it during one of our AGMs). Philip of course has no need for an update but there are issues which we will be discussing. Congratulations Philip. I feel it is important that any president has a vision and I believe in management by objectives so as not to allow the many other items which arise deviate one from the goals on which one may have been elected. May I be allowed some nostalgia and some space for the benefit of members as well to overview many of the things we have done together during my two terms. When I was elected the first time in 2003 my vision was to establish a robust system for vocational training and to bring it to the level of international standards and indeed have external review. As has been amply written before the best path, given our culture of specialisation at the time in the UK, was the Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners. We now have over fifty members who have MRCGP(INT), which they can get following the exam after vocational training and upon becoming members of the college. So I will list some of the things we have achieved together 2017-12-01T00:00:00Z