Cap. 528 Art. 30Powers of the Minister. Cap. 490.

The Minister may, subject to the provisions of this Act, make regulations to give effect to any provisions of this Act or to regulate or otherwise provide about anything in respect of the functions and the activities which affect the provision of healthcare, and may in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the aforesaid, make regulations for any of the following purposes:

(a) to regulate any matter connected with, or incidental to, the implementation of the functions, operation and administration of all healthcare entities;

(b) to prescribe such data, reports and statements of accounts which have to be sent to the Minister and to the Directors General by the Principals and, or the Chief Executive Officers, and such other officers and persons relating to healthcare as the Minister may deem necessary to request, and in such manner, form, time and on such subjects as he may specify in the regulations;

(c) to establish any fee and, or payment which may be due by, or under this Act, or for any service given in compliance with the provisions of this Act;

(d) to provide about any form or procedure which may be required or expedient, and about which there would be no specific procedure in this Act;

(e) to establish rules by means of which the Government may ratify and give effect to international conventions relating to health and which have already been ratified by the Government of Malta; or in order to achieve compliance with any international obligation pertaining to the Government of Malta or with European Union Directives on any matter or area concerning health;

(f) to establish the functions and duties of the directorates and departments established by, or through this Act;

(g) in order to ensure the provision of health services in a full and continuous process throughout life, to establish those healthcare entities in such manner as it may from time to time appear to be necessary in the Maltese Islands and, unless otherwise provided in this Act or in any other law, to establish also statutes and rules to regulate the mission, scope, functions, powers and duties, financial accountability or otherwise, and any other procedure which has to be followed, performed or observed by any entity so established by or under this Act;

(h) to establish, unless otherwise provided in this Act or in any other law, statutes and rules to regulate the mission, scope, functions, powers and duties, financial accountability or otherwise, and any other procedure which has to be followed, performed or observed by any Council, Committee or Board established by or under this Act;

(i) to afford, subject also to the provisions of any other law, to a person aggrieved by the decision of any entity, body or organisation established by or under this Act, means and procedures either to lodge his complaints and aggravation about a decision or to contest or appeal from such a decision to the Administrative Review Tribunal in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Justice Act and any applicable regulations made thereunder, and to be satisfied if that aggravation is upheld;

(j) to establish anything which is due to be, or may be established under this Act, and to provide on any other matter as may be deemed to be appropriate;

(k) to establish the fines for any contravention or breach of any provision of any regulation made under this Act, or for non-compliance with any provision or any requirement imposed under such provision: Provided that any regulations made under this paragraph may provide differently for different aims or circumstances, for different classes or types of entities, and for different classes of patients;

(l) to establish the framework of the national health policy for public and private healthcare providers, and it shall be the duty of all such providers to implement this policy according to the potential and the various needs of patients attending thereat;

(m) to establish, in the paramount interest of health in Malta, any possible exceptions to any provision contained in any law;

(n) to regulate any matter related to indemnity insurance in the healthcare sector;

(o) to regulate any matter connected with patients rights and safety;

(p) to regulate any matter related to the licensing connected with the provision of healthcare services.