ECEPE focus group Feb 2017

Workshop: “Ethics For Professionals: Current Challenges And Recent Responses”

Informing professionals to introduce Continuous Professional Development schemes in order to keep up to date and consult their clients with up to date information in all sectors especially in the health.

Day & Time: Monday 6 Feb 2017, 16:00-19:00

Location: MFPA offices (conference room)

Participants

ECEPE core members:

  • Ben Rizzo
  • Professor Benoit Rihoux
  • Dr David Fabri
  • Norma Camilleri

Excused ECEPE core members due to duties abroad:

  • Dr Bojana Lobe
  • Dr Jean Paul de Lucca
  • Dr. Theodoros Koutroubas
  • Ing Helga Pizzuto

Other professionals:

  • Alfred Briffa (Kamra tal-Periti)                                             
  • Victoria Massalha (Malta Association of Physiotherapists)
  • Mary Ann Sant Fournier (Malta Chamber of Pharmacists)
  • Silvia Galea (Malta Association of Counselling Profession)                                     
  • Demis Cachia (Malta Association of Occupational Therapists)
  • Valentina Bezzina (Malta Chamber of Psychologists)                      
  • Saviour Baldacchino (Chamber of Engineers)
  • James Licari (Malta Association of Conservators and Restorers)

A brief overview of the European Centre of Competence for Professional Ethics (ECEPE) was given outlining the main three objectives:

  1. To convene researchers/experts in different areas of ethics in one place, Malta.
  2. To provide training both at the basic level as well as Continuous Professional Development and to develop both standard curricula and benchmarks, not in bottom-up approach by consulting professions.
  3. To raise awareness within society: a broad vision involving both decision makers/ society at large/citizens/patients

The main questions discussed during the workshop were:

  1. What are the specific challenges that you are meeting in your profession in terms of professional ethics? Can you mention one or two concrete challenges?
  2. Which responses have you brought (or do you plan to bring) to these challenges, at the Maltese level?
  3. To what extent is the European dimension relevant in these challenges and responses? Have you for instance taken part in joint initiatives at the European level? Do you think these issues are best targeted at the national or EU level?

The following main points emanated from the three-hour open discussion.

  • Differentiation between professionals and other persons acting as professionals – interests of clients are not safeguarded
  • Professionals and Government laws that could hinder a professional giving the correct advice to patients ( especially health issues)
  • Correct and ethical use of social media by professionals
  • A good Government based data management system of patients especially in health and link with the private sector.
  • The use of IT in professional practice
  • Informing professionals to introduce Continuous Professional Development schemes in order to keep up to date and consult their clients with up to date information in all sectors especially in the health.

Professionals Memorial Park

Date: 11 October 2022 MFPA wanted to honour the memory of professionals on one of the premises of one of the institutions where professions undertake their training, the University of Malta. On 22 April 2022, to celebrate Earth Day, the Federation planted trees in a designated area on the University Ring Road. A short video clip showing the event may be viewed here . The project was funded by the Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector. The park was then officially inaugurated on Tuesday 11 October 2022 and dedicated to the late Professor Salvinu Busuttil who was the first President of MFPA between 1971 and 1975.

Sustainability Measures to Protect Employment

A business breakfast held in collaboration with the Malta Business Weekly on ‘Sustainability Measures to Protect Employment’

About Us

The Malta Federation of Professional Associations (MFPA) was set up in 1971 by seven founding organisations. Throughout the years, the professional population in Malta increased. Today MFPA comprises 17 professional organisations as full members and other three organisations with partial membership, representing no less than 10,000 professionals in Malta.