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22nd - 23rd February 2007

Radisson HotelSt Julian’s, Malta

Organised by

The Medical Association of Malta

andThe Commonwealth Medical Association

and The Commonwealth Secretariat

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Foreword

Throughout its history the Island of Malta has been the crossroads of all ma-

jor civilizations and military powers such as Phoenicians, Romans and the

knights of St. John. Eventually this lead to British rule followed by Independ-

ence in the early sixties.

Notably the Knights hospitaliers established a Medical School over three hun-

dred years ago, which continues to produce high quality physicians to the

present day.

Presently Malta is living two realities – that of a freshly admitted member of

the European Union, which also currently holds the Presidency of the British

Commonwealth.

This meeting is being organized by the Medical Association of Malta, which

currently hosts the secretariat of the Commonwealth Medical Association. This

event endevours to inspire Maltese doctors and leaders of the health care pro-

fessions, to take up ideas resulting from the current trends in the provision of

health care.

There is a need to provide accessible care of high quality, which is financially

sustainable, but which is also designed to decrease any risk of harm coming

to patients.

In the current new realities MAM welcomes all the international speakers who

have accepted to address the conference, and all the commonwealth delegates

who have come to contribute and share their experiences in the ever-develop-

ing complexities of modern Health Care.

Indeed I Augur that all the participants can have a very productive meeting.

Dr. Martin Balzan MD FRCP(UK) FEFIM

General Secretary – Medical Association of Malta

Honorary Secretary – Commonwealth Medical Association

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Programme Co-ordinators

Martin Balzan Medical Association of Malta

Myra K Tilney Commonwealth Medical Association

Faculty Affiliation

Agyeman Badu Akosa President-Commonwealth Medical Association/Ghana

Joseph Amuzu Commonwealth Secretariat, London

Alex Aquilina National Blood Transfusion Centre

Sundaram Arulrhaj Commonwealth Medical Association(Central Asian Region)

N Arumugam President – World Medical Association/Commonwealth Medical Association(S.E.Asian and Australian Region)

Martin Balzan Commonwealth Medical Association, Malta

Michael Borg President, International Federation of InfectionControl

Mariella Borg Buontempo Specialist Accreditation Committee, Malta

Edwin Borman Chairman International Committee,British Medical Association

Stephanie Bown Director of Education, Medical ProtectionSociety, UK

Robert Camilleri Consultant in Charge of Medical AdmissionsUnit

Gordon Caruana Dingli President, Association of Surgeons of Malta

James Clark St Luke’s Hospital, Malta

Nadine Delicata Department of Public Health, Malta

Andreas Demetriou President, Cyprus Medical Association

Mario Dimech President, Caritas Malta Epilepsy Association

EK Donaldson Commonwealth Medical Association(Canadian/Caribbean region)

Stephen Fava President, Medical Association of Malta

Daniel Gana President, Nigerian Medical Association

K Gungah Commonwealth Medical Association(East, Central and Southern Africa Region)

Marc Koska SafePoint, UK

Datuk P Krishnan Commonwealth Medical Association

Stefan Laspina National Blood Transfusion Centre

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Janet Mifsud Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology,University of Malta

K Opoku-Adusei General Secretary, Ghana Medical Association

Oheneba Owusu-Danso Commonwealth Medical Association(West African Region)

Patient Safety Secretariat World Alliance for Patient Safety,WHO, Switzerland

Heikki Pälve Chief Executive, Finnish Medical Association

Tonio Piscopo Specialist in Infectious DiseaseSt Luke’s Hospital, Malta

Jesper Poulsen CPME-Standing Committee of EuropeanDoctors/Denmark

James Reason Emeritus Professor, University of Manchester

Archibald Ayitey Sittie Centre for Scientific Research intoPlant Medicine, Ghana

Albert Paul Scerri Malta College of Obstetricians andGynaecologists

Myra K Tilney Commonwealth Medical Association (Europe)

Vijay Krishnarayan Deputy Director, Commonwealth Foundation

Michael Wilks British Medical Association,Chairman Representative Body

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Conference Rationale

Medical Practitioners and Healthcare systems worldwide are becoming increas-ingly aware of the need to reduce adverse events in healthcare. Patient Safety isdependent upon all levels of healthcare-starting from the individual patient,and their practitioner, moving to the clinic or ward setting, to organisationaland system levels. All are important and none can work in isolation. The Pa-tient Safety movement has developed rapidly within the developed world. De-veloping and newly-developed countries have lagged behind in this respect.

The Medical Association of Malta and the Commonwealth Medical Asso-ciation consider this to be a priority area and are organising a sensitisationworkshop to address this rapidly evolving area. CMA will utilise its' uniquenetwork to bring together a community that mirrors the WHO Regional Group-ings, thus facilitating post-conference regional networking and development.

The workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state ofplay. It will facilitate participants' identification of priority areas for develop-ment within their own culture and environment. It also aims to identify vari-ous strategies for implementation. Various levels of expertise will be cateredfor, facilitating learning, development and networking.

Target audience

Commonwealth National Medical Associations and a local audience includingSpecialist Societies, medical practitioners, and representatives of Maltese Healthcare NGOs.

Purpose of Meeting

1. To sensitise National Medical Associations (NMAs) regarding patientsafety developments, particularly for countries that have so far had limitedexposure to the Patient Safety movement, specifically developing and newly-developed nations.2. At a local Maltese level to stimulate the development of a patient safetyculture in Malta amongst medical practitioners and health care NGOs.3. To promote international exchange from a grass-roots level4. To assist the identification of areas for patient safety on a Regional basis.5. To assist the development of prioritisation on a Regional basis6. To describe the tools available to assist the development of Patient Safety7. To aid the development of an Action Plan for NMAs

Conference LanguageThe conference will be conducted in English

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Accreditation

The Workshop will be accredited. Registered participants will receive, on re-quest, an attendance certificate at the end of the Workshop

Acknowledgements

European Social FundThe Commonwealth SecretariatThe Patient Safety Unit of the World Health Organisation, GenevaMinistry of Health, MaltaAstra Zeneca, Novartis, St James Hospital Group-Malta, Les Laboratoires ServierSafePointMater Dei Hospital

Official Bank:

Wednesday 21st FebruaryPreliminary Event

(by invitation)

Location: Mater Dei Hospital

19.30 Anti-Retroviral Medication for the Commonwealth PeopleDr. Joseph AmuzuCommonwealth Secretariat

20.30 Dinner kindly supported by Mater Dei Hospital

Agenda

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Thursday, 22nd February 2007Carlson Hall

08.00 Registration

09.00 Welcome: Dr Stephen Fava, Medical Association of MaltaIntroduction: Prof Agyeman Akosa, Commonwealth MedicalAssociation

09.15 Official Opening: HE Dr Edward Fenech Adami, President of Malta

Session 1: Overview and Development of Patient Safety

Chairpersons: Prof Agyeman Akosa, Commonwealth Medical AssociationDr Stephen Fava, Medical Association of Malta

09.30 Quality of Care and Patient Safety: the context, situation andevidence-base.Dr Myra K Tilney, Commonwealth Medical Association

10.00 Is it the System or is it the People? A Question at the Heart of thePatient Safety Debate.Prof Jim Reason, University of Manchester

10.45 Pitfalls in Practice.Dr Stephanie Bown, Medical Protection Society, UK

11.15 Coffee Break

Session 2: Policies and Patient Safety: Accountability and Learning Systems

Chairpersons: Dr Datuk Krishnan, Commonwealth Medical AssociationDr Martin Balzan, Medical Association of Malta

11.45 Reporting systems, National Medical Associations anddeveloping a Safety Culture.Dr Jesper Poulsen, CPME/Standing Committee of European Doctors

12.30 No Fault Compensation system – The Finnish Experience.Dr Heikki Pälve, Finnish Medical Association

13.15 Lunch – kindly sponsored by

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Thursday, 22nd February 2007 (cont.)

Session 3: Ongoing Developments in Patient Safety

Chairpersons: Dr EK Donaldson, Commonwealth Medical AssociationGordon Caruana Dingli, Association of Surgeons of Malta

14.30 International Aspects of Patient Safety and the work of the WHOWorld Alliance for Patient Safety.World Alliance for Patient Safety, WHO

15.00 Patient Safety in Developing countries-the Malaysian example.Dr N Arumugam, World Medical Association

15.30 Traditional and Alternative Healthcare and Patient Safety.Dr Archibald Ayitey Sittie,Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine, Ghana

16.00 Coffee Break

19.30 Reception very kindly hosted by the Ministry of Health and Careof the Elderly (by invitation)

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Friday, 23nd February 2007

08.00 Registration

Satellite SymposiumLocation: Marie Louise Hall

Chairpersons: Dr K Gungah, Commonwealth Medical AssociationDr James Pocock, Medical Association of Malta

08.30 2007 AD: ? Switching to safer injections for all patients.Marc Koska, SafePoint

Plenary Session1: Patient Safety and Medical EthosLocation: Carlson Hall

Chairpersons: HE Professor Guido De Marco, President Emeritus of Malta,Chairman, Commonwealth FoundationDr Myra K Tilney, Commonwealth Medical Association

09.00 Opening: HE Mr Nick Archer, British High Commissioner

09.05 Continuous Professional Development and Professionalism inquality patient care.Dr. Edwin Borman,Chairman International Committee, British Medical Association

09.35 Is the Enforcement of Medical Ethics part of Patient Safety?Dr. Michael Wilks,Chairman, Representative Body, British Medical Association

10.00 Patient Safety and Criminal Liability.HE Professor Guido De Marco,President Emeritus of Malta, Chairman, Commonwealth Foundation

10.15 Coffee Break

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Friday, 23nd February 2007 (cont.)

Parallel Sessions 1 & 2:What are the main challenges to be faced?

Regional presentations

10.45

Externalexpertise

Rappor-teurs

10.50

11.00

11.10

11.20

11.30

Workshop 1: Carlson Hall

Chairpersons:Dr N Arumugam,World Medical Association/Com-monwealth Medical AssociationDr Albert Scerri,Malta College of Obstetricians andGynaecologists

Dr J PoulsenDr Heikki Palve

Dr EK DonaldsonDr J Clark

Cyprus - Dr A Dimitriou

Jamaica - Dr EK Donaldson

Malaysia - Dr Datuk P Krishnan

Malta - Dr M Borg Buontempo

UK - Dr Edwin Borman

11:40 DiscussionMain patient safety problems for each NMA-Country.What is actually being done? Where do governments fit in?What about NMAs? Traditional and Alternative Healthcare andPatient Safety.What could be done? Short and long term aims.

Identify what could be addressed-scenario planning,Consider which tools could be utilised in addressing theseConsider resources required for mobilisationFeasibility

12.40 Lunch – kindly co-sponsored by

Workshop 2: Marie Louise Hall

Chairpersons:Prof A Akosa,Commonwealth Medical Associa-tion

Prof. J ReasonWHO Safety Alliance

Dr S ArulrhajMr G Caruana Dingli

Nigeria - Dr A Dada

Ghana - Dr K Opoku-Adusei

Mauritius - Dr K Gungah

India - Dr S Arulrhaj

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Friday, 23nd February 2007 (cont.)

Parallel Sessions 3 & 4: What could be done

13.40

ExternalExpertise

Rappor-teurs

13.42

13.55

14.08

14.18

Improving System Support:Carlton Hall

Chairpersons:Dr Datuk P KrishnanCommonwealth Medical AssociationDr Nadine DelicataDept of Health,Malta

Prof. J ReasonDr J Poulsen

Dr K GungahDr S Fava

WHO Draft reporting systems.Dr Nadine Delicata / commentsfrom Dr H Peralta, Lawyer

The Practicalities of introducingGuidelines into Clinical Practice.Dr Robert Camilleri,St Luke’s Hospital

Safe delivery of Blood Products 1:Safe Production of BloodDr Alex Aquilina,National Blood Transfusion Centre

Safe delivery of Blood Products 2:Safe Clinical PracticeDr Stefan Laspina,National Blood Transfusion Centre

Improving the System Environ-ment: Marie Louise Hall

Chairpersons:Dr S ArulrhajCommonwealth Medical AssociationDr Mariella Borg Buontempo,Dept of Health, Malta

WHO Safety AllianceDr E Borman

Dr O Owuso DansoDr A Scerri

Accreditation Systems.Dr Mariella Borg Buontempo,Specialist Accreditation Committee

Safe Systems in Infection Control.Dr M Borg, International Federationof Infection Control

Medical Manpower and WorkingPatterns.Dr M Balzan,Medical Association of Malta

Medication ErrorDr Janet Mifsud,University of Malta

14.30 Discussion: ApplicabilityPossible Outcomes: Strategic development for individual NMAs

Guidelines for NMAs to introduce Patient Safety intheir own areas e.g. Nosocomial infectionLearning systems: Patient Safety in Education at all levels

15.00 Coffee Break

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Friday, 23nd February 2007 (cont.)

Plenary Session 2The Way Forward: Workshop Reports and Forum Discussion

Location: Carlson Hall

Chairpersons: Dr O Owuso Danso, Commonwealth Medical AssociationDr Stephen Fava, Medical Association of Malta

15.20 Partnership with Patients.Mr Mario Dimech, Caritas Malta Epilepsy Association

15.30 Rapporteurs Workshop 1: Dr EK Donaldson / Dr J Clark

Rapporteurs Workshop 2: Dr S Arulrhaj / Mr G Caruana Dingli

Rapporteurs Workshop 3: Dr K Gungah / Dr S Fava

Rapporteurs Workshop 4: Dr O Owuso Danso / Dr A Scerri

Open Forum Discussion: What are the main challenges to be faced?

16.30 Closing Remarks: Dr L Deguara, Hon Minister of Health, theElderly and Community Care

16.45 Close: Prof A Akosa, Commonwealth Medical Association

Satellite Symposium: HIV MedicationCarlson Hall(by invitation)

Sponsored by

Chairpersons: Dr S Arulrhaj, Commonwealth Medical AssociationDr M Borg Buontempo, Public Health,Malta

19.00 Anti-retroviral Medication in 2007Dr Tonio Piscopo, St Luke’s Hospital, Malta

19.30 Pan-Commonwealth Network on HIV/AIDSMr.Vijay Krishnarayan,Deputy Director, Commonwealth Foundation

20.00 Dinner

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Curricula Vitae

Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa is Professor of Pathology, Universityof Ghana Medical School and previously Consultant Histopathologistand Clinical Director of Pathology to Forest Healthcare Trust, WhippsCross Hospital, London. Professor Akosa is now the Director-Generalof Ghana Health Service and has been for the past 3 years. He is alsothe President of the Commonwealth Medical Association. ProfessorAkosa is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists UK, West Afri-

can College of Physicians, Ghana Medical Association and the Ghana Academy of Artsand Sciences. He is a powerful health advocate and has expertise in Health SystemsManagement.

Dr. Sundaram Arulrhaj is the incoming president of the common-wealth medical association, and was National President of IndianMedical Association. 2002 -2003. A man of Mission towards a noblevision of “HEALTHY INDIA, he is a University First Rank holder andGold Medalist-MD internal Medicine. He undertook Special training inintensive care and cardiology in UK & USA. He is a Renowned Acad-emician and has contributed original articles, chapters in text booksand research papers in the field of non invasive cardiology and criticalcare medicine. He contributed to for “MEDICINE UPDATE” book for the past 15 years. HeEdited the Text Book of Family Medicine – First of its kind in India. He has been a Postgraduate Teacher in Medicine for 5 years –(DNB – Internal Medicine), an Examiner and& observer for DFM & MD Family Medicine Examination, University of Colombo &India. Practicing in a small town in Tamilnadu, Tuticorin and developed a 100 beddedMulti Speciality Hospital with Hi-tech Diagnosis & Modern treatment facilities. Beingan Educationalist – running PG Medical Courses, Para Medical College, & School forMentally Retarded Children, etc. He is deeply interested in community services andregularly organizing welfare programmes like mass Hepatitis B Vaccination, Schoolhealth programmes, Diabetes & Heart Disease awareness programmes. He createdawareness in the community about the need for Good health & value of life style Modi-fication in chronic Diseases through Media & group discussion. He was active againstthe Public Health Hazards of Alcohol through Policy Advocacy to control Alcohol use &related harm in India “Shun Drink Driving” is the thrust area and Developed Pre Hospi-tal Trauma & Emergency Care System for Tamil Nadu and now developing for India.

Nachiappam ARumuganPresident World Medical AssociationIn his inaugural address at the WMA’s annual General Assembly inSun City, South Africa, Dr Arumugam, a cardiologist from Malaysia,said governments were not doing enough. “Advocacy for diet modi-fication, encouraging physical activity, anti-smoking measures andregular medical examination aimed at early preventive actions maylook daunting, but without the immediate institution of these meas-ures the world will within the next decade or two face such an enor-

mous problem that it will not be able to handle. As life style diseases are chronic innature and progression insidious, patient’s attention to the problem is delayed andawareness is only drawn to the disease at a late stage making it complex and expensiveto treat”

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Dr. Martin Balzan MD FRCP(lond) FEFIM.Dr. Balzan is currently the Honorary secretary of the Common-wealth Medical Association, and the General Secretary of theMedical Association of Malta. He is also Vice President of Confed-eration of Malta Trade unions, and Vice president of the Associa-tion of Physicians of Malta.Dr. Balzan is a respiratory physician with over 30 scientific pub-lications to his name, in the fields of asthma epidemiology, Car-bon Monoxide poisoining, and the neuroleptic malignant syndrome.Dr. Balzan has been active in the Medical association of Malta since 1997 and currentlyrepresents MAM on the standing Committee of European Doctors, and the World Medi-cal Association. He is also a member of the UEMS board of respiratory medicine.

Edwin M Borman, consultant anaesthetist, is currently the chariman ofthe international committee of the British Medical Association, and theVice president of the UEMS (European Union of medical specialists). Heis also an elected member of the General Medical Council, and the Chair-man GMC Race, Equality and Diversity Committee. Previously he hadbeen the chairman of the Junior doctors’ subcommittee of the BritishMedical Association

Stephanie Bown LLB MBBS MRCP DRCOG FFFLM. StephanieBown has spent over 12 years as a doctor in the NHS. Following hertraining at the Royal Free Hospital, London, in 1982, she worked inacute hospital medicine, then obstetrics and gynaecology beforemoving into general practice. She was a GP in South East Londonand there, became involved in undergraduate training. She had abrief sojourn at the Medicines Control Agency (now the Medicinesand Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) as a Medical Asses-sor, reporting on safety and efficacy of new medicines to the Com-mittee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicines Commission. DrBown joined the Medical Protection Society (MPS) in 1994 as a Medi-colegal Adviser, where she provided professional, ethical and legal advice to doctorsundergoing disciplinary and regulatory hearings. She completed an LLB in 1997 andsubsequently qualified as a mediator. Dr Bown later became Head of Medical Services inMPS’s London office. Her present post is Director of Education and Communicationswhere her brief involves developing MPS’s educational strategy. Dr Bown is Vice Presi-dent (Medicolegal) of the new Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine.

Oheneba Owusu-Danso is the regional Vice President of the Com-monwealth Medical Association for the West African region. He cur-rently Senior Medical Officer - Department of Surgery Komfo AnokyeTeaching Hospital, Kumasi. He was President, Junior Doctor’s Asso-ciation 1993-1995 and Honorary Secretary, Ghana Medical Associa-tion 1997 – 2001. He has been active in the Commonwealth MedicalAssociation since 1998.He was honoured by the Ghana Medical Association (Ashanti divi-sion) for the effective and dedicated services which propelled the

division to be recognized by the GMA Executive Council as the most active and bestorganised division January 4, 1995 and by the Catholic Archbishop of Kumasi, Most Rt.Rev. Peter Kwasi Sarpong, in recognition and appreciation of meritorious and exem-plary services within the St. Louis Training College Chaplaincy March 29, 1998.

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Dr.Kooshalanund GUNGAH, MBBS, MD, Consultant Obstetricianand Gynaecologist. Graduated from All India Institute of Medical Sci-ences, New Delhi in 1976.Worked in the government service in Mau-ritius and was the Regional Health Director(RHD) of the SirSSRamgoolam National Hospital.He was the National NorplantProject Coordinator and as such helped in training the personel to setup this service in contraception.After retirement from service in 1997he was appointed as Director of the WHO-UNFPA-Gov. of MauritiusRegional Training of Trainers Project in Reproductive Health and Fam-ily Planning of the sub-Saharan Region till 2000.He was elected to serve as a member ofthe Medical Council of Mauritius from 1994 to 1997 and nominated member of theMedical Diciplinary Tribunal by the government as from 2001.He is presently the Presi-dent of the Mauritius Medical Association.He was the President of the CommonwealthMedical Association 1995-1998, and now the Vice President Of the CMA for the East,Southand Central Region. He is also very active in various socio-cultural associations.

Dr. Heikki Pälve,CEO, Finnish Medical Association 2005 to date.MD 1980; Turku University , specialist in Anesthesiology and In-tensive Care 1987; Turku University, Ph.D. (on the reliability ofpulse oximeters) 1991, special competency in emergency medicine2002, degree on health administration 2004.Specialist in the Turku University clinic of Anesthesia and InternsiveCare 1987 – 2005, Senior lecturer on Anesthesia, Intensive Care and

Emergency Medicine in Turku University 1987 -2005, Helicopter Emergency MedicalCare Physician 1998 - 2003President, Finnish Medical Association 2001 – 2003, Member of the UEMS section onAnesthesiology and Intensive Care 1993 – 2000, Member of the council of the FinnishMedical Assoc. 1986 – 2000 - wife Anneli and two sons: Juhani (1981) and Matias (1984)hobbies: jogging, badminton, skiing, tennis.

Dr. Poulsen, Vice-president of the Standing Committee of EuropeanDoctors (CPME). Dr. Poulsen is currently President and Chairman ofthe Board of the Danish Medical Association as well as Vice Presidentof the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) and Chief Phy-sician in the anesthesiological department of the Hilleroed Hospital inDenmark. In recent years Dr. Poulsen has served as President of thePermanent Working Group of European Junior Doctors (PWG), of whichhe was elected Honorary Life Member in 2001. He was one of the primemovers in the establishment in 2001 of the Danish Society for Patient Safety. As Head ofthe Danish Delegation in the past many years, he stimulated patient safety in the WorldMedical Association, the CPME, and other international fora.

James Reason was Professor of Psychology at the University of Man-chester from 1977 until 2001. His primary research interest has beenthe human and organisational contributions to the breakdown of com-plex, well-defended systems. He has written books on, absent-mindedness, human error, managing the risks of organisational acci-dents, and managing maintenance error. He has researched and con-sulted in the fields of aviation, railways, nuclear power generation,maritime safety, oil exploration and production, road safety, andhealthcare. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Aeronau-

tical Society and the British Psychological Society. In the 2003 New Years Honours list,he received a CBE for services to reducing the risk of healthcare.

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Archibald Ayitey Sittie BSc.Biochem (UGi), MSc. Biochem (UG), PhDPhytohem(Denmark), Present position Deputy Director and Senior Research Officer atthe Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM), a WHO CollaboratingCentre for Research and Development of Traditional Medicine, and a pioneer institutionin plant medicine research in Ghana. Twelve scientific publications Written one bookchapter in “A Manual of Harmonised Procedures for Assessing the Safety, Efficacy andQuality of Plant Medicines in Ghana.”

Myra K Tilney MD FRCP FRCP(Edin) FACP FEFIM MBA(Henley)Commonwealth Medical Association Vice President (Europe)Dr Tilney graduated with Distinction in Medicine from the Uni-versity of Malta in 1984, and carried out postgraduate training inMalta, Belgium and the United Kingdom. She is a Consultant Phy-sician, and Senior Lecturer in Medicine at the University of Malta,and has been active in professional and academic representation

and development, in the national and international spheres for over ten years. Shecontributed to legislative development changing professional regulation, and struc-turing postgraduate education. Latterly, her major interest has been clinical qualityimprovement, and after completing an MBA from Henley Management College in 2003,she has published and carried out projects addressing the area from different perspec-tives. She has been appointed EU Commission expert evaluator on various scientificand ethical review panels, and currently sits on the Appeals Board of the SpecialistAccreditation Committee of the Medical Council.

Michael Wilks was a family doctor (general practitioner) in Londonfrom 1977 to 1992. He is now a senior forensic physician workingwith the Metropolitan Police in London. He is also the chairman ofthe representative body of the BMA. He has been chairman of theBritish Medical Association’s Medical Ethics Committee (MEC) since1997, and chairman of the BMA’s policy-making forum (the Repre-sentative Body) since last year. The MEC is responsible for debatingmedical ethical issues relevant to working doctors, and issuing ad-vice. In doing this it consults widely with relevant experts, worksclosely with Government, and publishes influential policy papersand books. Most recently it has been extensively involved in humanrights issues, and has worked with the World Medical Association and with the CPMEon declarations on the abuse of prisoners, and the involvement of doctors in torture.The Ethics and Professional Codes Committee will work hard in the new CPME sessionto bring together all members in common cause to identify those ethical issues whichare of immediate relevance to doctors working across the new Europe, and devise newways of working to achieve consensus. Among these issues must be included electronicrecords, the care of the elderly, professional regulation, and the withholding and with-drawing of life-supporting treatment.

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List of Participants

Dr. Stephen Abela Consultant GeriatricianDr. Marisa Abela SHO GeriatricsDr. Mario Abela PathologistDr. Alexia Abela SHO in MedicineDr. Dominic Agius General PractionerDr. Oscar Aquilina Consultant Cardiologist SLHDr. Josanne Aquilina Consultant Neurologist SLHDr. Joelle Azzopardi House officer SLHDr. Conrad Azzopardi Consulant Phsyician - Association of

Phsyicains of MaltaDr. Natasha Azzopardi Muscat Director EU affairsDr. Diana Balzan Family Doctor - Health CentreDr. Christopher Barbara Head of Pathology dept, SLHDr. Anthony Bernard Consultant Orthopaedic surgeonDr. Michael Boffa Consultant DermatologistDr. Michael Borg Head Infection Control SLHDr. Karen Bowman Senior Registrar, RheumatologyDr. Simon Bugeja Registrar, UrologyDr. Joseph Cacciottolo Head - Department of Medicine UMDr. David Cachia Registrar in MedicineDr. Ramiro Cali-Corleo Hyperbaric MedicineDr. Frank Paul Calleja Family DoctorDr. Victor Calvagna Consultant Paediatric OncologistDr. Franco Camilleri Vassallo Consultant RheumatologistDr. Noel Caruana Family Doctor - Health CentreDr. Clifford Caruana Chairman Junior Doctors - MAMDr. Paul Caruana Consultant Microbiology SLHDr. Mariella Caruana Family Doctor - Health CentreDr. Alfred Caruana Galizia Chairman Dept of Medicine SLHDr. Aaron Casha Senior Registrar, Cardiothoracic surgeryDr. Marilyn CashaDr. Paul John Cassar Senior Registrar RheumatologyDr. Mary Rose Cassar Secretary - Association of SurgeonsDr. Doreen Cassar Family Doctor - private practiceDr. David Cassar Consultant PsychiatristDr. Jean Pierre Cauchi Chairman - Family doctors in private -MAMDr. Karl Causon Family doctor - Member Medical Council

of MaltaDr. Christine Chircop Micallef Senior Medical officer - public healthDr. Saviour Cilia Chairman - Health Centre doctors - MAMDr. Victor Curmi Senior Registrar in MedicineDr. Josianne Cutajar Senior Medical officer - primary health careDr. Hector Cutajar SHO PscychiatryProf. Lino Cutajar Malta Red Cross - DirectorDr. Miriam Dalmas Principal Medical Officer - Public HealthDr. Mark Andrew Delicata SHO - SLHDr. Sandra Distefano Principal Medical Officer - SLH - information

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Dr. Bridget Ellul Consultant PathologistDr. Alessandra Falzon CamilleriDr. Cynthia Farrugia Jones Senior Registrar, Respiratory MedicineDr. Victoria Farrugia Sant'angelo Primary health care - school medical serviceDr. Ethel Felice Consultant PsychiatristDr. Taygeta Firman Principal Medical Officer - Public HealthDr. Chiara Frendo Balzan House officer SLHDr. Nathalie Galea Registrar in PaediatricsDr. Noel Gatt SHODr. Kenneth Grech Specialist in Public HealthDr. Victor Grech Consultant PaediatricianDr. Joseph Francis GrechMr. Charles Grixti Consultant Orthopaedic surgeonDr. Lina Janulova Principal Medical Officer - SLH - informationDr. Francis LaFerla Dean University of MaltaDr. Stefan Laspina Consultant Blood transfusion services - SLHDr. Marie Therese Licari Consultant AnaesthetistDr. Caroline J Magri SHO MedicineDr. Julian Mamo Public Health SpecialistMr. Stephen Mattocks Consultant UrologistDr. Tanya Melillo Fenech Principal Medical Officer - Public HealthDr. Kirill Micallef Stafrace Malta Olympic CommitteeDr. Michelle Montanaro Gauci Registrar - Obstetric and gynaeDr. Etienne Muscat Senior registrar in PsychiatryDr. Yves Muscat Baron Consultant - Obs and GynaeDr. Simon Paris Consultant AnaesthetistDr. James Pocock International Secretary - MAMProf. Angelo Psaila Consultant Physician in private practiceDr. Joseph Saliba Director of Psychiartic servicesDr. Mario Sammut Co-oridinator - GP trainee coarseDr. Marvic Sammut Medical Officer - School medical serviceDr. Anthony Samuel Chairman - Department of radiologyDr. Kevin Schembri Senior Registrar - Cardio thoracic surgeryDr. Carmel Sciberras Consultant Orthopaedic surgeonDr. Philip Sciortino Family doctor - in private practiceDr. Paul Soler President Malta Paediatric Association,

Member Medical Council of MaltaDr. Doriette Soler Consultant PaediatricianDr. Anna Spiteri Senior Registrar - Accident and EmergencyDr. Danica Spiteri SHO - MedicineDr. Isabel Stabile Family doctorDr. Mario Stellini Senior Registrar - Gastro enterologyDr. Victor Sultana Senior Registrar - Department of SurgeryDr. Terence Tilney Consultant Cardiologist SLH - Association

of PhysiciansDr. Mario Vassallo Consultant GastroenterolgistProf. Josianne Vassallo Consultant Diabetes and Endocrinology,

Editor Maltese Medical JournalDr. Malcolm Vella SHO in MedicineDr. Norbert Vella Consultant Neurologist SLH

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Dr. Stephanie Xuereb Public Health SpecialistDr. Richard Zammit Principal Medical Officer - Public HealthDr. Patrick Zammit Senior Registrar in UrologyDr. Mariella Zammit Consultant AnaesthetistDr. Vincent Zammit Family Doctor - Malta College of Family Doctors,Malta Hospice MovementDr. Mario Zerafa Chairman Consultants - MAMDr. Elaine Zerafa House officer SLHDr. Laurence Zrinzo Specialist NeurosurgeonDr. Salvina Zrinzo Consultant Radiologist, Malta Association of

Radiologists

Dr. Martin Balzan Conference Co-ordinator, General Secretary,MAM, Hon Secretary CMA

Dr. Myra Tilney Conference Academic Chair, Treasurer/RegionalVice president CMA

Dr. Gordon Caruana Dingli Member organising Committee, Vice presidentMAM, President Assoc. of Surgeons

Dr. James Clark Member organising Committee,Specialist Registrar Gastroenterology

Dr. Albert Scerri Member organising Committee,Malta College of Obs and Gynae

Dr. Mariella Borg Buontempo Member organising Committee,Chairperson Specialist Accreditation Committee

Dr. Melvin D'Anastasi Logistics committeeDr. Lisa Pullicino Logistics committeeDr. Jean Paul Tabone Logistics committeeDr. Benedict Vella Briffa Logistics committeeMs. Caroline Bartolo helper, Medical StudentMr. Richard Pullicino helper, Medical StudentMr. Kenneth Mangion helper, Medical StudentMs. Josephine Busuttil helper, Medical Student, day 01Ms. Sera Busuttil helper, Medical Student, day 01Ms. Charmaine Cremona helper, Medical Student, day 01Ms. Martina Muscat helper, Medical Student, day 01Ms. Dawn Marie Caruana helper, Medical Student, day 01Ms. Petramay Cortis helper, Medical StudentMr. Lyle Chircop helper, Medical StudentMs. Doris Borg helper, Nursing officer

Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosa President, Commonwealth Medical Association,Ghana

Dr. Joseph Amuzu Health Section (HIV), Commonwealth SecretariatDr. Sanduram Arulrhaj Incoming president, Commonwealth Medical

Association, IndiaDr. Naggiappam Arumugan President, World Medical Association, MalaysiaDr. Edwin Borman Chairman, International Committee,

British Medical Association, UK

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Dr. Stephanie Bown Medical Protection Society, UKDr. Robert Camilleri Consultant Physician/Accident and Emergency

SLH, MaltaDr. Nadine Delicata Principal Medical Officer - Public Health, MaltaProf. Guido Demarco Chairman Commonwealth Foundation,

Professor of Criminal Law.Dr. Evan Kildare Donaldson Regional Vice president - Caribbean Region CMA

- Jamaica Medical AssociationDr. Stephen Fava President Medical Association of MaltaMr. Mark Koska Safepoint UKDr. Datuk Krishnan Outgoing President, CMA, MalaysiaMr. Vijay Krishnarayan Deputy Director, Commonwealth FoundationMs. Gifty Oforiwa Addo Executive Board Secretary CMADr. Oheneba Owusu Danso Regional Vice president - West African region,

GhanaDr. Heikki Palve CEO - Finnish Medical Association, FinlandDr. Jesper Poulsen Expert representing CPME, Standing Committee

of European doctors, DenmarkProf. James Reason Emeritus Professor, University of ManchesterDr. Arcbibald Sittie Centre for Plant research, GhanaDr. Michael Wilks Chairman, Representative body,

British Medical Association

Dr. Daniel Gana President, Nigerian Medical AssociationDr. Ademola Dada Deputy General Secretary, Nigerian MADr. S.N. Misra General Secretary, Indian Medical AssociationDr. Kusun Misra Indian Medical AssociationDr. Andreas Dimitriou President, Cyprus Medical AssociationDr. Kwabena Opoku Adusei Secretary General - Ghana Medical AssociationMs. Mary Rose Ciappara Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association,

Malta

Prof. Godfrey Laferla Dean, Malta Medical School.Mr. Michael Bonnici Registrar, Specialist Accreditation CommitteeDr. Joseph R. Cassar MP, Nationalist party, Consultant PsychiatristDr. Michael Farrugia MP, Labour Party, Opposition spokesman for

HealthMr. Mario Galea MP, Nationalist partyMr. Joseph Abela MP, Labour PartyDr. Ray Busuttil Director General - Health DivisionMr. Vincent Schembri Capua St. James Hospital, Head of NursingDr. Frank Bartolo St. Luke's Hospital - Medical SuperintendentMs. Marion Rizzo Mater Dei Hospital - CEODr. Hugo Agius Muscat Mater Dei Hospital - IT ManagerDr. Frank Portelli Director - St. Philip's Hospital

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Mr. Joseph Montfort General Workers UnionMr. James Graham General Workers UnionMr. Godfrey Farrugia General Workers UnionMs. Deborah Maria Xuereb Infection Control Unit SLHMs. Norma Camilleri Malta Association of Speech Language pathologistsMs. Gertrude Buttigieg Malta Association of Speech Language pathologistsMr. Antoine Sciberras Malta Chamber of PharmacistsMr. Max Borg Millo Malta Chamber of PharmacistsMs. Nathalie Fenech Malta Chamber of PharmacistsMs. Mary Ann Sant Fournier Malta Chamber of Pharmacists, PresidentDr. Audrey Camilleri Malta Dental AssociationDr. Paula Vassallo Malta Dental AssociationDr. Ethel Vento Zahra Malta Dental AssociationMr. Adam Bartolo Malta Dental AssociationMr. Kevin Mulligan Malta Dental AssociationMs. Anne Marie Busuttil Malta Medical Students AssociationMr. Paul Cacciottolo Malta Medical Students AssociationMs. Chantal Fenech Malta Medical Students AssociationMr. Richard Pullicino Malta Medical Students AssociationMr. Ivan Zammit Malta Medical Students Association, presidentMr. Paul Pace Malta Union of Midwives and NursesMs. Claire Farrugia Malta Union of Midwives and NursesMs. Crista Gauci Malta Union of Midwives and NursesMr. Alex Manche Malta Union of Midwives and NursesMr. Colin Galea Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses,

General SecretaryMr. Geoffrey Formosa UHMMr. Edward Gruppetta UHMMr. Geoffrey Scicluna UHMMs. Sabina Drago UHM (Union Haddiema Maghqudin)Mr. Joseph Bonello UHM, Section Secretary

Ms. Anna Zammit Mckeon Malta Diabetes AssociationMs. Moira Grixti Malta Diabetes AssociationDr. George Grech Sedqa, Clinical DirectorMr. Joseph Caruana SedqaMr. Renato Camilleri SedqaDr. Janet Mifsud Caritas Malta epilepsy associationMr. Mario Dimech Caritas Malta epilespsy associationDr. Anna Mallia Socjeta Azmatici MaltinDr. Mariella Blackman Socjeta Azmatici MaltinMr. Charles Scerri Malta Dementia SocietyDr. Rozette Micallef Malta Hospice Movement

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24Copyright MAM 2007