| Malta as part of the British Empire was | | | | nations, as they have built a reputation |
| a strategic naval outpost in the | | | | upon good service and successful |
| Mediterranean Sea. For many years it | | | | operations. |
| provided hospital services to sailors in | | | | The National Health Service waiting |
| the Royal Navy and helped ensure that | | | | lists are still high for such routine |
| British supremacy in the Mediterranean | | | | operations as joint replacements and for |
| sphere of influence was upheld. Today | | | | those waiting, life can be painful and |
| this long tradition of British hospital | | | | mobility can be a constant struggle. The |
| patients in Malta is returning; as | | | | speed and efficiency of hospital |
| medical tourism increasingly becomes an | | | | services in Malta offer a valid |
| option for British citizens. | | | | alternative for those who simply cannot |
| Medical tourism is not a new idea; the | | | | wait. As well as joint replacement |
| ancient Greeks visited a territory | | | | operations dental hospitals in Malta |
| called Epidauria; fabled as the | | | | will also experience an influx of |
| sanctuary of Askelepios, the healing | | | | patients as the costs of major dental |
| god. The spa towns dotted all over | | | | work have reached an all time high in |
| Europe can also be seen as early | | | | the UK. |
| examples of the medical tourism | | | | With Malta being a short three hour |
| industry. The industry has become | | | | flight from the UK hospital staff are |
| popular of late and in Malta, hospital | | | | sure to be busy. For some the lure of |
| executives are trying to cash in on the | | | | shorter waiting times will be great; |
| global increase in medical tourists. | | | | twinned with the chance to recuperate in |
| The reason medical tourism is | | | | the warm Mediterranean sun, patients |
| experiencing a global increase is due to | | | | will be enticed in large numbers. The |
| the lengthy waiting lists and expense of | | | | opportunity to holiday in Malta around |
| private medical care in developed | | | | operations will surely bolster the |
| industrial nations. Malta especially, is | | | | tourist industry in Malta during the off |
| targeting British nationals due to the | | | | season. |
| island's close ties with the UK. As | | | | As a result of this, Malta has announced |
| English is the second language in Malta, | | | | a twenty million pound investment to |
| hospital staffs are expected to provide | | | | further promote and develop hospital |
| exceptional medical care to visiting | | | | services on the island. This investment |
| patients. | | | | will see a rise in visitor numbers and |
| Operations that are expected to be | | | | with hospital equipment updated should |
| carried out were originally limited to | | | | also result in accreditation for medical |
| cosmetic surgery. Hospital executives in | | | | services by official foreign bodies. As |
| Malta are keen to dispel this image of | | | | Malta sits in fifth position in the |
| purely cosmetic work in order to | | | | World Health Organisation's list of |
| infiltrate the huge market of joint | | | | health care systems this search for |
| replacements and dental surgery. | | | | official accreditation should not pose |
| Currently the waiting time for a hip | | | | any major difficulties. |
| replacement in a UK hospital can be as | | | | International accreditation for Maltese |
| much as eighteen months; it is believed | | | | hospital services will bring increasing |
| in Malta this period is a matter of | | | | numbers of medical tourists to the |
| weeks. | | | | island. As waiting times and the cost of |
| Hospital staffs in Malta are trying to | | | | private medical care skyrocket in |
| carve out a niche in an already swollen | | | | industrialised nations this is surely an |
| market. India, Bangkok and Hong Kong are | | | | astute move by hospital executives. As |
| established players in the medical | | | | long as operations are successful there |
| tourism industry with visitors coming | | | | is no reason why medical tourism should |
| from a number of industrialised nations. | | | | not become a major element of the |
| Malta will be hard pushed to take | | | | economy in Malta. |
| business away from these well thought of | | | | |