Malta - diabetes

I recently moved to Malta and would like some help on sorting my diabetes care over here. Anyone live or lived in Malta with diabetes? Any advice on what I should do and where I should start please?
James

novorapidboi26 said:

I assume your insulin supply has been organised already....

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Hi. No. I have brought enough insulin to last me a couple, maybe a few months, but I need to arrange a new prescription here.

CherryAA said:

http://www.stjameshospital.com/site1/hospitals/saint-james-hospital-sliema/

I spend a lot of time in malta these people seem pretty clued into most things -

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Thanks. I actually live in Sliema so they could be great. I'm going to see a pharmacy doctor later today. As you probably know finding the right care is confusing at first. Is insulin free in Malta? I already researched this before I came out here to work and live and found very little information but I did see on a government website that insulin was free to all with type 1 diabetes - I hope this is true.

Robinredbreast said:

Good luck in your new job and I hope you can get all your diabetes needs sorted. I never worked abroad, but have holidayed in Malta, it's a lovely country and very friendly too, I would love to go back, I stayed to Qawra.
Good luck

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Thank you

Red_devil_ said:

As Malta and the UK have a reciprocal agreement on health, you will need a Certificate of Entitlement from St Luke's Hospital, also a 'yellow card', both ground floor, which enables you to get your prescription from a pharmacy of your choice (POYC). To get these you need to see your doctor who will arrange for you to see a consultant at Mater Dei who will authorise your medication. They will probably want to see you for regular check ups too, as an outpatient. A prescription usually yields a two months supply.
You will also need a form from the Revenue Section at Mater Dei, ground floor, to allow you free access to the health services.
All sounds a lot, but once you have everything it's only a matter of renewing them every few years at St Luke's hospital and you can post them.
I recommend the Economical Pharmacy in Dingli Street and Dr Stefan Fenech as your GP. He is extremely good and doesn't rush you.
I hope this helps. I don't have diabetes, but have MS so I know the procedure for injections and any other medication you may need.

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Thanks so much. This is just the information I was looking for. I saw a doctor at Melita pharmacy in St Julian's and she said it could take until next year for me to secure a yellow card. Does that sound right to you? Do you think I could get the yellow card and CofE from St James Hospital in Sliema or does it have to be St Luke's? Thanks again for all the information, that's a huge help and a weight off my mind to know.

Red_devil_ said:

Next year? That's nonsense.
You need to see a Consultant at Mater Dei first to authorise the prescription and then go to St Luke's and wait in a fairly short queue. If you see a Consultant at St James' Hospital they may authorise the prescription as they all work at Mater Dei as well. Ask them.
Everything goes through St Luke's for free health services and so no, you can't get it through St James' Hospital as that is private. Use your private health insurance for emergency treatment.
So firstly, get a referral to a Consultant and get them to sign a form there and then, authorising a yellow card. Take that and the Certificate of Entitlement to St Luke's.
I think you can get a Certificate of Entitlement form online now, if not, you can pick one up at St Luke's. Through the gates and first building on the left for everything. Check opening hours on line. Once you have filled it in you can just drop it in a box and they will post it to you, but check the queue, it may be quicker to wait.
Say you need the medication urgently as you haven't enough to last after one month. They can move quickly when they want to!
If you see a Consultant at Mater Dei they probably will ask if you need a prescription immediately, so accept it and then you have time to get all the forms. There is a Pharmacy at Mater Dei, but there is usually a long long queue. You will probably have to pay if it is a private prescription from St James'.
Don't forget the Revenue Section at Mater Dei. A window to your right as you walk in the main entrance they will also need your Certificate of Entitlement, but you only have to go there once. This will be needed if you are taken there for any emergency.

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Thanks so much for the help. Do I need an e-residence card before I can request a Certificate of Entitlement? I'm in the process of getting the card at the moment. Cheers!

Luischen222 said:

Hi Jbriscoe26, I just read that you moved to malta. I am currently considering moving to Malta as well and I am wondering wether I would get all my usual treatments there. I Germany I got a cgm and an insulin pump. Do you know if it is possible to get those as well or do insurances only pay for the very basics?

I am very grateful for any information!
Best regards, Luisa

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Hi Luisa,

So, this is going to be a long reply. If you would like shorter answers to more specific questions, please send me an email at 'jamesbriscoe26 at gmail dot com'. I would be happy to hear from you and would like to try to help.

I've been in Malta since April 1 and I'm still in the process of getting the basics, like insulin, needles and test strips for free. My mistake was making an appointment with a diabetes specialist (if they actually were a specialist) at the main public hospital, Mater Dei. I was sent a letter in the post with an appointment SEVEN months in the future (November 27th). I couldn't believe it but I'd been to my local health centre in Gzira and two doctors there warned me I'd probably have to wait months to be seen at Mater Dei - so did another GP at a different practice - so I accepted it and have been paying for everything since.

As you can see from above replies, I received some advice from various people, but there were conflicting suggestions and I ended up confused and didn't know where to start. So, to help you out (if I can), I'm willing to be there for you whenever you want to ask any questions. Never feel like you're annoying me by asking too much or too often.

So, I was lucky enough that a type 1 diabetic started working with me in the last month and she's been living in Malta for 14 years and knows the ins and outs of the system there so she's been helping me. She's also kindly given me some of her insulin, because she had more than she needed.

Anyway, so I would advise going to a private hospital, like St James' and making an appointment to see a diabetologist. I have an appointment this January, so I still don't have everything sorted, but hopefully I can help you do things quicker.

- I don't use a CGM or pump so I'm not sure if you can get them for free with the yellow card, but ask the specialist when you see them.

- Before you get a yellow card allowing you free supplies, you can buy insulin and all the basics from pharmacies. I go to the Economic Dispensary in Sliema. A pack of five Novorapid re-fills is about €40, a pack of 50 test strips is about €28 and I'm not sure how much needles are as I've not needed them yet.

- I recently paid to have an hba1c test and it was €97 - I might try to get the money back with my employer's health insurance but I'm not sure I can. I'm pretty sure I can get regular check-ups at St James' private hospital paid for though - it's about €17 to have a quick chat with a doctor/nurse.

Please get in contact and I will try to get any information you need. Like I said, my colleague is very knowledgeable about everything so she will know.

Speak soon,

James

I'd recommend reading the rest of the thread but to answer your question, once you get your 'yellow card' (piece of paper) you get free test strips like everything else. Thanks, James

I'd suggest going to a different doctor for your prescription. Whatever the doctor writes for you the pharmacy will give you surely? I went to a specialist at St James' Hospital for my first script, soon due my second lot of supplies.

I can't explain why they're telling you this. Sorry.

Type 1 diabetics are certainly eligible. What letter are they saying you need? I go to the Economical Dispensary pharmacy in Sliema and I've not had any problems. As we're both EU citizens I can't see why things would be different