The Health Sector in Malta might be facing an unprecedented shortage of Human Capital. According to the training needs analysis engaged into by the Malta Institute of Management this is even more so at Management Level. There is a lack of adequate Clinic and Hospital Management skills in the country.  There seems also to be an abnormal brain drain that has been discussed on various national fora. The Prime Minister has defined this sector as one of the main pillars of the economy. Can this be sustainable if there exists a Human Capital issue?

Furthermore it appears that various clinics may improve their performance through better clinic management in Malta. This both in the private and the public sector.

The Malta Institute of Management together with the Health Services Management Centre of the University of Birmingham are organising a breakfast meeting on the 9th of November 2007 to discuss this shortage in Malta and to discuss whether this may be addressed through national policies.

Panel of Speakers

• 8.45 a.m. - Hon Dr Louis Deguara, Hon Minister for Health
• 9.05 a.m. - Hon Dr Michael Farrugia, Shadow Minister of Health
• 9.25 a.m. - Dr Josie Muscat – St. James Hospital
• 10.05 a.m. - Prof Chris Ham – HSMC University of Birmingham

Chris Ham is a health policy analyst with extensive experience of working with health service agencies in the UK and in other countries.  He has served as an adviser to numerous agencies including the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, and the Health Departments of New Zealand and Sweden.  Within the UK, he has advised the Audit Commission, the British Dental Association, the British Medical Association, the NHS Confederation and the House of Commons Health Committee.  He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, a founding Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

He is a non-executive director of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust. His main qualifications are:

• BA (Hons) in Politics and Government, University of Kent, 1972.
• MPhil, University of Kent, 1976
• PhD University of Bristol, 1983

Chris works with health service agencies operating at international, national, regional and local levels.  In so doing, he draws on over 25 years’ experience of advising on health services. His interests include:

• Health care reform in the international context including the use of market-like mechanisms, management reforms and innovations in funding and delivery.
• Health care rationing and priority setting, including comparative approaches and the use of clinical guidelines.
• Innovations in primary care and integrated care, including primary care led commissioning and provision, and chronic disease management approaches to health service commissioning, including population centred and patient focused models clinical leadership in health care organisations, including the role of medical leaders in service improvement and service redesign

Chris Ham joined HSMC in 1992 and was Director between 1993 and 2000 when he was seconded to work in the Department of Health’s Strategy Unit. He became Director of the Strategy Unit in 2001 and worked with Ministers on the development of health policy and the reform of the NHS.  Chris is currently involved in a range of work including consultancy, teaching and research.  Before joining HSMC, he worked at the King’s Fund and the Universities of Bristol and Leeds.  He has worked in a number of countries including the United States, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, Israel and New Zealand.  This has included giving advice on health care reform to government agencies in these countries.

For further information please contact the Malta Institute of Management on 21453097