The Government says the recent criticisms from the GSD show they “do not value our health professionals”.

A statement from the GSD follows below:

The Government yesterday proudly announced a radical Reset, Restart, Recover 7 point programme to reform the GHA, recognising the enormous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the organisation and the work to be done over the next few years to improve the service offer for patients and staff. 

Rather than welcoming the commencement of this significant journey,the GSD have jumped on the first opportunity to attempt to score political points by politicising this matter, disregarding the plans completely and grumbling about past limitations. 

The GSD have once again demonstrated that they live in the past. The criticism by the GSD is actually of the GHA and its professionals and not of the GSLP Liberals and its ministers. That is a pity as it shows the GSD do not value our health professionals. In fact the GHA compares well against other public health systems, especially when it comes to waiting times which, however improvable, are nowhere near the crisis levels being hit in some NHS areas.  

By contrast, the Government are planning ahead and looking to the future by working with staff, patients and stakeholders to reform the GHA from within. 

Minister for Health, the Hon Samantha Sacramento, said: ‘The GSD clearly want a political slinging match over the GHA and the Government is not going to stoop to their level. The radical plan that I was proud to announce yesterday aims to empower our clinicians and take politics out of the provision of health care in Gibraltar. Itis clear from their tired point-scoring approach that the GSD want the exact opposite.’