My, now that’s one doctor with a brilliant bedside manner
Dr Rachel Abela – she is a martial arts practitioner
Photographer Rene Rossignaud has described on Facebook his experience at the general hospital in Gozo today. You can read it in the image shown here (left click to enlarge it). It is self-explanatory, but so unbelievable that I had to ring Rene to make triply sure and ask him some questions (below). I also rang Dr Abela on her personal mobile phone number for her side of the story, but there was no reply so I sent a message.
What is this doctor’s first name?
Rachel.
Did he hear her shout this, or was it speech reported to him?
Rene and his girlfriend heard her themselves. Rene was in a hospital bed, his girlfriend sitting by him, and this doctor was speaking to a nurse just outside the ward door.
Did she say all that in English, including the words ‘fuck’ and ‘fucking’, or did he translate from Maltese, and if so, what words did she actually use?
She said all that in English, including ‘fuck’ and ‘fucking’ and ‘I don’t care about him and his problems’ and ‘now I’m going to leave him to last’.
All this came about because Rene Rossignaud has a condition which makes it problematic to go without food for long, and he had already been fasting from the previous day as required in advance of general anaesthetic. He merely asked the nurse, who had given him a comprehensive check and set of questions, to point this out to the doctor.
The nurse seemed frightened or reluctant to do so, and after this scene took place, he told Rene, “Rajt? Issa se nispicca naqla xi charge jiena! M’ghidtlekx jien?”
Rene discharged himself immediately, rang St James Hospital, drove from Gozo to Sliema, and found the medical team there waiting to operate on him. He has already been operated on and discharged.
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Shocking behaviour by the doctor. Godfrey Farrugia has some explaining to do. Glad to hear it ended well for Rene though.
Oh come on, does everything have to be political? This has absolutely nothing to do with Godfrey Farrugia and everything to do with the way the Maltese population idolises surgeons because of what they do for a living.
Doctors have had an ego for years – it is of no surprise that a Gozitan general surgeon has this kind of attitude towards patients.
A woman surgeon (of course, taking into consideration how tough it is for a woman to become a surgeon in our backward country) who is most probably idolized because she is so busy… This is something that should be taken to the medical disciplinary board, of course hoping that other (and believe me, there are loads of others) cases will be brought forward once this “doctor” is brought to justice.
quote: “This has absolutely nothing to do with Godfrey Farrugia”.
@ Michaela: under the administrative framework of health services in Malta and Gozo, this issue must of course concern Godfrey Farrugia, who has the portfolio for Health.
If hospitals in Malta and Gozo were autonomous, this issue/story would have been one to be dealt with by a respective Hospital-CEO and by the Medical Council.
One is also tempted to ask whether the FMS has any role to play in such matters!
@ Michela,
ARE YOU BLOODY SERIOUS ? .
I COULDN’T GIVE A FLYING F–K ABOUT HOW TOUGH IT IS FOR A WOMAN OR INDEED ANYONE TO BECOME A SURGEON.
FACT IS THAT SHE IS A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE PAID FOR BY MY TAXES. SO YES GODFREY FARRUGIA AS THE MAN RESPONSIBLE IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR HER BEHAVIOUR.
THIS IS NOT POLITICISING THE MATTER. ITS ALL ABOUT POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY JUST AS MUCH AS THE CURRENT ABBATTOIR LIKE SITUATION AT MATER DEI IS.
Incidentally the surgeon involved is Maltese and not a Gozitan.
I was operated on by Dr. Abela for breast cancer surgery on Jan. 6. and previous to that I had several consultations with her. BTW. she always talks to the nurses in Maltese, only to the patients in English. This was my 2nd surgery done bu Dr. Rachel Abela and I have NOTHING but great confidence in her. She is very matter of fact and does not necessary ‘ coddle’ a patient, but I don’t think that that is her job either. I do not believe that the conversation between nurse and doctor happened the way it was described, Sorry.
He did well to avoid being operated upon by an angry doctor.
If these allegations are true then the Malta Medical Council has a duty to investigate and take action as patient safety is clearly a concern here.
Exactly, suspension is in order.
Rossignaud should write a formal complaint to the Medical Council with his version of the case. The Council, by law, is duty bound to open an inquest.
Daphne, I hope Godfrey Farrugia does not read this bit – he will certainly sob his heart out in shame.
And thanks for the incidental information about Rachel Abela – I will try to keep her at arms length, seeing that martial arts practitioners scare me stiff.
Hippocratic Oath? Code of ethics? Basic human decency?
If all this is confirmed at the appropriate inquiry then it is really shocking news.
Furthermore if the Medical Council, after the case has been reported to it, finds for the patient, it would be expected to proceed to erasure from the register.
The reason is simple.
Gross professional misconduct.
I repeat once again.
The facts have to be established and corroborated by evidence.
.
Despicable.
Three years ago, almost to the day, my husband was admitted to Mater Dei Hospital for urgent attention as he had been diagnosed that day with a malignant cancer of the colon.
Dr Rachel Abela operated on him very late that night, and, thanks to her skill as a surgeon he came through the ordeal safe and well.
She followed up on his case meticulously, and was invariably courteous and caring. I really feel I have to say this.
It is always pleasant to hear of such positive outcomes, your husband’s is most certainly one of such instances. I am happy that in your husband’s case all turned out well and worked smoothly.
However, I am pretty sure that you would not have wished for your husband to go through an ordeal similar to that suffered by Mr. Rossignaud. No patient has to endure such treatment.
Let us not for one moment shy away from condemning this despicable behaviour.
This is how surgeons routinely operate in the UK. This is the expected norm of behaviour.
Disgusting. Mr Rossignaud must report this practitioner to the Medical Board. An actual, unsolicited, patient report is needed before the board can investigate any wrongdoing, even if the incident is now public knowledge.
I strongly urge Mr Rossingnaud to report this. As someone who was (albeit for a short period) involved in Maltese Health care, we need patients to report these abuses so that we can carry out the reform we so urgently need in Maltese healthcare.
This is a very serious matter.
I have to applaud Mr. Rossignaud for publicizing the matter. This issue has to be thoroughly investigated by the health authorities and action taken.
The Health Ministry is also accountable here and unless disciplinary action is forthcoming, I will have to arrive at my own conclusions.
I wish Mr. Rossignaud a speedy recovery.
wasn’t there.dont know the truth but let’s try to figure this out before or is after the crucifixion just from the information provided accepting it may not be entirely accurate.So this surgeon was still operating past 6pm.working day starts at 8am.a bit stressed perhaps.no excuse right?surgeon gets interrupted for the umpteenth time to be told one patient needs to eat.hence the reply,between the expletives that she’s not a supermarket (cant think of anything else).now think of one country where that would happen cause I cant.And what do you know.Patient rushes off into the arms of a private medical team who operate there and then.How extraordinary.No questions asked.No pre op check ups.Bingo.truly you don’t know what you got until you lose it
[Daphne – He was an outpatient at St James in the lead-up to the operation, so yes, they knew his case history.]
And yes, operations at St. James Hospital are not a morning-only thing. I had major surgery done a few years ago at St. James and the operation started at 4pm and ended at 9pm.
I was taken to my room at 11pm after spending some time recovering under observation from the medical team. Yes, when you employ the best, you get the best care possible.
“When you employ the best”? Sorry to break it to you, but St James employs the same people the state hospital does.
And what do you think the staff at Mater Dei Hospital do with patients recovering from surgery? Discharge them straight away?
@ WhoamI? and @ Macduff
Indeed, many of the consultants, who work in private hospitals, also work as consultants for the national health service ….. one of the reasons why private-public hospital joint-ventures in Malta cannot succeed.
One should humbly add that, with or without John Dalli, neither the PN nor the PL aka Moviment can ever master the health services problem in Malta.
nemesis, you got the timing wrong. This incident happened late morning so no particular stress. Anyway, if she cannot take the heat best is to get out of the kitchen.
Do not rush to conclusions – she is a hardworking, dedicated surgeon. If you manage to drive her away with all this she will find a better paid job overseas overnight. Doctors should never speak in that manner, but a bad day in the surgical world could easily drive you to utter a couple of expletives.
Hi all,
It’s the first time I am writing on this page, and thanks for all the comments.
I can assure you 100% of what was said is real, and I have witnesses to prove it. I am currently getting legal advice and will proceed accordingly.
In reply to Nemesis, Dr Rachel Abela’s shift started at noon, and all this commotion happened at 12.10, just ten minutes later. So I am sure she was not work stressed as she had just started the day.
On another note – imagine you are waiting to be operated on and you hear the surgeon outside your room screaming, “I don’t give a f**k about this patient. I don’t give a f**k about his stomach condition. I don’t give a f**k about him. I am not a fucken supermarket.”
All this happened when the nurse asked me if I had any other medical condition and I said yes – and I begged the nurse to ask the doctor about this condition before taking me to the operating theatre, that’s all.
I just hope Dr Abela gets what she truly deserves. She may have done this to many others in the past and it fell on deaf ears, but today she messed with the wrong person.
‘today she messed with the wrong person’… you sound like a low-budget action movie trailer.
Go for it. Teach her a lesson. No amount of stress should lead a doctor to speak in this way to patients.
I’m a nurse, I have all the stress in the world at my workplace, as do all the other HCPs I work with, but we never ever speak to or speak of a patient who is ill, scared, in pain and about to be opened up for all the world to see, in that way.
I hope you’re feeling better after your procedure, and whilst hoping you never have to go through a surgical intervention again, I hope you find better professionals to treat you if you do.
Rene Rossignaud
Well done for making this public. We need more people with guts like you and Daphne in Malta.
I have used the UK NHS for the last 35 years and I have never had reason to complain once.
Rene Rossignaud said: “All this happened when the nurse asked me if I had any other medical condition and I said yes – and I begged the nurse to ask the doctor about this condition before taking me to the operating theatre, that’s all.”
Did the Gozo Hospital know in advance of “the other medical condition”?
Did Mr. Rossignaud have any Outpatients’ appointment at the Gozo Hospital?
Did Dr. Abela ever see Mr. Rossignaud prior to this issue?
Pertinent questions, but the crux still centres around Dr. Abela’s reported behaviour.
Nonetheless, @ Mr. Rossignaud: one can understand your anger. However, do you wish a rightful punishment or do you wish a public execution?
Leo Said, it is precisely the attitude displayed in your question to Mr. Rossignaud that ensures clients and customers in Malta keep being treated like shit.
@ Liberal: I firmly believe that my question in the direction of Mr. Rossignaud was considerate, licit and legitimate granted that Malta is a liberal law-abiding society.
Dr. Rachel Abela operated on my sister with great skill and under extremely difficult circumstances. Her follow-up of the operation was certainly not lacking in love and compassion.
The family is thankful to the lady whether she is a martial arts practitioner or not.
She also was great to me and showed compassion. I am grateful to her
This is not the Rachel I knew way back. She must be extremely stressed. Doctors are human too you know even though her conduct was extremely unprofessional.
Even if St James knew Mr Rossignaud’s case history, from the details given – i.e. that he was in Gozo this-morning, came back to Malta, was ‘operated’ on and is now at home – all in the same day – then one must assume that this can only have been a very minor intervention. If he was already an outpatient at St James, why, in heaven’s name, go all the way to Gozo?
[Daphne – You must have a lot of money to burn to ask a question like that.]
If I’m not mistaken, she was on TV once, came across as pretty aggressive and on the defensive when her thing for martial arts was mentioned.
Come on, Daphne – it has nothing at all to do with ‘money to burn’. All through my working life I had medical insurance, as so many professional people do. All this ranting and raving about striking Dr Abela off the register seems to me nothing more than an opportunity for people who know nothing about her to show off their skills at spite-and-malice against a very very good surgeon.
[Daphne – No, really, it’s about money. Hundreds of people go to private hospitals for out-patients consultation and are then referred to a state hospital for surgery. If you don’t have private medical insurance, it’s the sensible thing to do.]
Let me pre-empt the inevitable flood of posts.
I’ve known Dr Rachel Abela since medical school. She is intelligent, dedicated, hardworking, courteous etc. etc. and would never do something similar. She was probably stressed out/tired/nearing the end of a 48-hour shift etc. etc.
Patients using the free national health service should be more appreciative of the professionalism/care/dedication shown by medical professionals. Before we judge we should check our facts/check Mr Rossignaud’s story/spend 24 hours in a ward/stand in the other person’s boots/put ourselves in their situation etc. etc. Thank you Dr Abela for all your hard work etc. etc.
Will that do?
So you’re a medic too, HP?
You forgot to read the first sentence of his post.
That’s right. I’m a copywriter.
Maybe she should go back to medical school to learn the basic principles of human courtesy. She should be ashamed of herself, speaking in such a way to the rest of the staff, also loud enough for the patients to hear.
Yes, it’s Gozo, but who the hell does she think she is?
As always a wise comment by H.P.
You seem to be quite biased and sanctimonious when it comes to Dr. Rachel Abela but one can’t take you seriously as your compassion towards the mentioned is somewhat based on a friendship level rather than that of a professional.
When it comes to work ethics and professionalism friendship is put aside, as a surgeon she is to duly inform the patient of all the risks prior and post op, needless to say every single one of us has questions that needed to be answered she is also to answer these questions to put one at ease. But let’s not get into technicalities as the post will be a never-ending one.
And one can’t show compassion for a professional and educated person who uses profanity in a public area which might also be frequented by children, all in all she failed miserably not only in carrying out her duties she also disrespected her patients and colleagues alike. Now I ask you would you be willing to be operated on by a such a person after going through the same ordeal as Mr. Rossignaud?
Another thing aren’t martial arts practitioners meant to foster self-conscience and calmness and refrain from having explosive rage fits regardless of the situation?
A writer of the satirical persuasion explaining his satire is like a magician explaining his trick. It takes away the magic, and makes it all seem very easy.
But needs must, so here’s the small print: That was not a comment on Rachel Abela, or on this incident, but on the propensity of the Maltese in coming to the aid of their friends and colleagues when the friends and colleagues should be defending themselves.
We’ve seen it countless times on this blog. Someone criticises someone else, and instead of the interested party writing in to state their case and make their rebuttal or provide an explanation, we have their friends chiming in as character witnesses.
I think it’s not quite normal. This Dr Abela is a doctor and a surgeon. She’s a medical professional. She’s Up There and Baxxter is Down Here. A comment by me or anyone else other than her colleagues and peers is as irrelevant as an ant commenting on an elephant’s trunk hairs.
Sometimes I get emails from some celebrity, intellectual or don I’d have written about, telling me I was being unjust and explaining their side of the story. I used to answer them courteously, until it dawned on me that I shouldn’t be entering into correspondence with people who are way above my stratum. Imagine if I wrote that Madonna’s poonts are sagging, and she sent me an email telling me I’m being nasty, and that they’re really still quite firm. She’s a celebrity. It’s part of her remit to be poked fun at, even in nasty ways.
Malta is a small place, incredibly small. Doctors, lawyers and architects are our celebrities. They should take all criticism and comment from the masses for what it is. They don’t need their friends to come to their defence, for their place is assured, and that criticism and comment won’t make a blind bit of difference to them or their work.
When it’s their peers who comment, that’s different, but then that sort of thing happens in a professional setup, not here on a blog. Mr Rossignaud has filed a judicial protest. So the thing now moves to the courts, and that’s the proper place to have a rebuttal by Dr Abela, or her character witnesses, not here.
Two sentences in Dr. Baxxter’s last message catch my attention.
1. “A comment by me or anyone else other than her colleagues and peers is as irrelevant as an ant commenting on an elephant’s trunk hairs”.
2. “So the thing now moves to the courts, and that’s the proper place to have a rebuttal by Dr Abela, or her character witnesses, not here”.
How true and appropriate.
Sam writes “as a surgeon she is to duly inform the patient of all the risks prior and post op, needless to say every single one of us has questions that needed to be answered she is also to answer these questions to put one at ease”.
Indeed. A well functioning Outpatients’ Dept. should have dealt with pertinent pre-operative questions especially if the scheduled surgical intervention is one of an “elective” nature.
Baxxter – you’re a waste of space.
Hardly. I’m tiny.
Mr Rossignaud, I totally support you in complaining to the Medical Council. I failed to take necassary steps when a health professional was blatantly negligent and now regret it bitterly.
It was a case of misdiagnosis, worse, I had a pretty strong (unfortunately accurate) suspicion of what could be happening and this professional actually laughed out loud when I mentioned it.
I have to deal with the consequences of this malpractice on a daily basis. Now I see I should have done it even if to protect future patients of this professional.
One last thing, could it be that similar unacceptable behaviour is in reality acceptable to the medical powers that be on this island? I mean when was the last time anyone heard of a medical professional losing his/her warrant due to abusive treatment of vulnerable patients? I’m not being sarcastic, I’m asking this genuinely.
Two points really
First I find it extremely unethical to condemn a person to a public lashing without first asking for their side of the story (unless you in fact have). Just as a thought experiment, just imagine that the reported story was not as in fact reported. Wouldn’t a lot of harm have been caused to the surgeon in question.
[Daphne – If you were to read my post properly, you would see that I rang Dr Abela on her personal number, and when she failed to reply, I sent her a message on that same number. What is unethical is to fail to run a story just because the other person did not reply. The thing to do is to run the story, point out that you tried to contact the person but there was no reply, and then run with their side of the story if and when they give it to you. And this is quite apart from the fact that I know Rene Rossignaud and this is not just the experience of some total stranger posted on Facebook.]
Secondly, if the individual in question has in fact erred, as I am sure most of us have, why are we so obsessed with politics that we need to turn this into a ‘win’ for one side and a sign of service degeneration to the other.
[Daphne – Where has any political party been brought into this? I have no idea who this woman votes for and I don’t care. It is irrelevant.]
I have myself been under her care and have never found her to be anything but courteous and dedicated to public service. We would have an exceptional health service if all surgeons and medical staff were in fact as dedicated as Dr Abela.
Yeah the Medical Council – the way they investigated a certain dentist…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocNXYv9b4GE&feature=share
I am gobsmacked. This doctor swears her head off about a patient she will soon operate on, and we ask for compassion?
Thank you, JONJO. Now – “Where has any political party been brought into this?” Very first comment by Mandy set the tone, the other mindless comments followed. Nothing new.
We now hear that Dr Abela came on duty at 12; by 12.10 Mr Rossignaud was asking for medical advice from her. With probably a busy schedule ahead of her, possibly including major surgery, she was perfectly correct in working to her own priorities.
Mr Rossignaud, by the time of the first posting on this subject (3.59) had already driven back to Malta, had been ‘operated’ on and was back home. Hardly (mercifully for him) earth-shattering stuff.
He says the doctor used questionable language, and yet he blasts the same language onto his Facebook page on his own account. And then he ends his comment above – “today she messed with the wrong person”. 0h, how stylish – and how scary!
[Daphne – You defend the indefensible. This is not about anybody’s priorities, including the doctor’s. This is about her language and her attitude towards a patient, and her shouting abuse of that patient in his proximity.
Rene Rossignaud is free to use questionable language on Facebook. A doctor is not free to use aggressive language and swear-words to a nurse about a patient, on a hospital ward and within earshot of that patient.
This is not a complicated matter, so don’t complicate it.
A doctor must not:
1. speak abusively to a nurse;
2. speak abusively about a patient;
3. use words like ‘fucking’ on a ward, and most especially not to a nurse about a patient.]
You wouldn’t be so “easy” if the person about to operate on you declared she doesn’t give a f*ck about you, just because you were concerned about your health and asked a question.
I’m easy. Well I certainly would not be easy if I am waiting to be operated by someone who is in a foul mood. Forget the swearing as I would not be impressed by that vulgar language, but her attitude would have scared the sh*t out of me minutes before going under the knife.
Rene Rossignaud did the right thing to expose this unethical behavior. I would have done the same and more.
Unfortunately a number of doctors no longer listen to their patients. If they did they would get a better diagnosis and would be in a better position to help them.
This one size fits all doesn’t work in medicine. If you have certain medical conditions the surgeon and the anaesthetist should be made aware, due to complications prior to surgery.
Though Dr Abela is a workaholic, she doesn’t care about the patients’ feelings. She books long lists of day cases which take up till late afternoon and evenings as well.
Patients will be starved from midnight at least and when they complain Dr Abela’s responce is that she also is hungry and tired. One has to remember that many patients who will be going for endoscopies will have a three bowel preparation before the intervention.
Dr Abela is a close friend of Joyce Dimech, permanent secretary at the Ministry for Gozo. That is why the nurse was afraid. Gozo’s hospital is under her control and the decisions taken are all coming from her.
Hemm int! That puts paid to the Medical Council doing anything!
So booking long lists and working hard is a terrible thing as patients may be starved a bit longer. Xi fsied ta’ nies.
Bravu, patients who are starved for longer than 6 hours can suffer from harsher post-op complications, especially those who undergo GI procedures as they would have complicating factors conducive to feeling worse post-op.
Whether the patient is undergoing a procedure as small as an endoscopy or a major procedure such as a bowel resection is IRRELEVANT. Each patient is terrified of what is about to happen to them, and each patient deserves proper reassurance from the person doing such things to them.
What an impressive show of judging based on hearing one side of the story Daphne, thank goodness your readers / commentators are not at the heart of our judicial system.
Pain if starving for a procedure? . . . I get it! he needs to get done first then, ahead of everyone else, boy that took some thinking.
[Daphne – Dr Abela is free to give her side of the story. She knows that, because I have told her and have also tried to obtain it. If you are her friend, perhaps you could advise her that if none of this is true, then she should say so, but if it is true then yes, she has taken the right course of action in keeping quiet at this stage. And might I remind you that this is not about the surgical procedure or even the patient’s behavior. It is about the doctor’s behavior, which cannot be justified or defended in whatever circumstances. A doctor who shouts about the “fucking patient” within earshot of that patient? I don’t think so.]
Thomas,
You seem to have a chip on your shoulders about me and the rest who follow Daphne’s blog. I find nothing wrong in exposing a very serious case of professional conduct.
Any patient who is waiting for surgery is going to be very tense. No doctor should be speaking like that about a patient.
Actually, I am not her friend but know her to be an excellent and conscientious surgeon.
I appreciate that you said you tried to contact her before this public lynching but she didn’t respond – perhaps she was, guess what? Doing her job and didn’t have the luxury of going on Facebook as Mr Rossignaud did right after his ‘operation’.
Honestly though, I’m relieved you don’t know what really goes on in theatre and what people like Rachel Abela are going through to try to maintain a semblance of a service they somehow feel obligated to deliver.
It just pays to read these comments and remind ourselves how much we are appreciated and to tailor our efforts likewise, good luck.
[Daphne – Your last sentence is a reflection of the very same sentiments for which Dr Abela may now face an enquiry by the Medical Council. Doctors – and I assume you are one – must never retaliate against patients or punish them. I think, with your attitude, that it is patients who would do well to remind themselves that Maltese doctors are Maltese people.]
Daphne, I expect better, (well, not really), what, in what I wrote suggests retaliation or punishment?
Sorry you feel that way about being Maltese,
[Daphne – Your bit about bearing in mind how you’re (not) appreciated and behaving accordingly. ‘Daphne, I expected better’. You’re so obviously a Maltese man. Buzz off and patronise your wife or sister. Insufferable.]
In this thread, one notes personal opinions from various aspects, partly on grounds of personal experience.
I know neither Rene Rossignaud nor Dr. Abela.
I am not in a position to remark about Dr. Abela starting her work shift at 12.00h.
Furthermore, I do not know anything about Mr. Rossignaud’s medical history, i.e. what (urgent) medical intervention had been planned and why there was a necessity for urgent food-intake. It is however imperatively important to consider such parameters when deciding on interventional priorities.
Nonetheless, the crux of the matter seems to me to be Dr. Abela’s “language and her attitude towards a patient, and her shouting abuse of that patient in his proximity”. This accusation would of course have to stand on solid ground and, from what I read here, there is tangible evidence from at least three persons involved in the issue.
If Rene Rossignaud decides to take further action, analysis of the scenario leads one to the probable professional conclusion that Dr. Abela would have to face two-fold disciplinary measures, i.e. from the Medical Council of Malta and from her employer, the Ministry for Health. Disciplinary action in this case would possibly be an official professional warning. I do not know whether the statutes of the Medical Council of Malta provide for fines in such cases. A patient might on the other hand wish to institute a “causa civile” for damages and compensation.
I stand to be corrected.
There is also abuse of power, specifically when she said she will operate him last (at 6pm) in retaliation to his more than legitimate medical question.
Shouldn’t this behaviour be reported to the Medical Council?
The done thing is to write to the hospital’s authorities.
This is all about a malady which many doctors seem to suffer from. It’s called Feeling Close to Goditis.
Just so you know, that doctor is not GOZITAN but Maltese! She just works in Gozo, so enough with the f*cked up ignorance of blaming Gozo!
[Daphne – “Not Gozitan but Maltese”. I hate to have to point this out, but there is no such thing as Gozitan. We’re all Maltese. If in doubt, check your passport.]
Stating the obvious, we are all Maltese (so no need to check my passport), but the way some people go on it’s like we are two huge countries, with the Maltese vs. the Gozitans.
I’m merely stating that she is from the bigger island so no need for certain closed minded idiots writing that it’s what you expect from a Gozitan bla bla bla (their words, not mine)…
I’m not referring to you Daphne. Just to clear that up! I guess you knew that anyway.
@Thomas, note what Daphne said, that this is about behaviour. And this behaviour with this doctor seems to be the norm, because the nurse had second thoughts about approaching her.
He was frightened. So he must have previously and on numerous occasions experienced her top class manners.
It’s a shame as this case will put all wards at the Gozo Hospital in a bad light. Kindly note the the doctor is not Gozitan.
It is not exactly on the topic but very related: Muscat keeps his promises but with a slight change in the promise.
He promised to send medicines to the homes of the patients.
A slight change to the wording in the content – sending the patients home instead of the medicines.
Irrespective of the intricacies and details of the case, according to my humble opinion, such exclamations/behaviour should not be permitted. The higher the status of the offender, the stiffer the penalty should be. Shame, shame.
To all those people excusing this kind of disgusting and dangerous behaviour. Screw you all. You are the reason why services in Malta are generally shit.
Let those without sin cast the first stone ,Happy Christmas to you all.
[Daphne – Religion has no place in this matter, Marimaur. Malta is not a theocracy. ]
Marimaur, when you write stuff like “let those without sin cast the first stone”, you should follow it up with “and free all prisoners”. After all, who are we, mere mortals, to judge. Right?
Of course not – law offenders must be punished accordingly, but to judge first you must hear all the evidence and not just one side. Most of the time its not what you see is all there is.