Italian consultancy Italconsult has been awarded a €2.3 million contract to review and update the master plans for St Luke’s, Karin Grech, and the Gozo General hospitals. The Foundation for Medical Services said the firm was selected through a negotiated procedure following a rigorous assessment of several European healthcare specialists. Over the next nine months, Italconsult will refine the existing plans to reflect current operational needs, clinical priorities, and modern healthcare standards. Authorities hope to draw on the company’s international experience, including its work on hospital facilities in Verona. The updated master plans will guide the next phase of redevelopment of the three hospitals, which returned to government control in 2023 after the annulment of the former concession agreement. (Times of Malta)
Hotels Sustain High Occupancy in Strong Summer Season
Malta’s hotel sector maintained a robust occupancy rate of 83.6% in the third quarter of 2025, according to new figures from the National Statistics Office. Collective accommodation establishments registered an overall net use of bed places of 80.4%, only marginally lower than last year. Tourist volumes remained strong, with 782,220 guests—an increase of 7.9%—spending 3.87 million nights on the islands. Four-star hotels continued to dominate the market, accounting for nearly half of all guest nights. Gozo and Comino saw especially sharp growth, registering a 19.9% rise in guests, although occupancy dipped slightly to 64.6%. Accommodation capacity also expanded, with 349 establishments offering over 53,000 bed places by September. The data confirms another busy summer season, supported by sustained demand and continued growth in tourism numbers. (Newsbook)
Child Protection Services Call for Stronger Prevention Efforts
Malta’s Child Protection Services say the system will inevitably remain reactive, as most cases involve abuse that has already occurred rather than early warnings. Director Antonella Mizzi noted that CPS rarely receives reports of concerns prior to harm, highlighting the limits of reactive intervention. She pointed to fragmentation across agencies, with different entities working in silos and duplicating efforts instead of reaching more families. Mizzi also warned that today’s parents are harder to reach due to demanding lifestyles, suggesting that support programmes should be brought into workplaces rather than expecting parents to attend courses elsewhere. Tackling stigma remains essential, she said, but prevention requires a collective approach involving employers, communities and families. Many cases referred to CPS also show multiple challenges, including addiction, mental health issues and a lack of parenting skills. (The Malta Independent)
