10 Days Into Strike, Nurses’ Union Increases Directives For Health Centres And Gozo Hospital
Ten days into a nationwide strike, the Malta Union for Midwives and Nurses has decided to increase directives for local health centres and the Gozo General Hospital.
On 24th March, directives were sent to over 4,000 nurses and midwives throughout Malta and Gozo, mainly issued over the sectorial agreement related to the introduction of the EVS, appraisal reports, and robotic dispensation of medication.
“The Ministry for Health has still made no effort to present a sectorial agreement which will address the nurses’ shortage and persisted with the notion that the government doesn’t have enough money for nurses and midwives,” the MUMN said in a statement this morning.
“It has made no extra effort to address the dispute and has not sent any counter proposals to address the industrial actions.”
“It is clear that for the Ministry for Health, the patients, nurses, and midwives are not a priority and are not prepared to address the humiliating counter proposals sent ten days ago to our members.”
“Instead, our ‘humble’ government is resorting to threatening nurses and midwives who are following MUMN directives.”
“Not only that, but the government resorted to outsourcing surgical operations thus delivering a clear message that it is prepared to spend the taxpayers’ money on private contractors, who have close ties to the government, but are not prepared to offer a better financial package to the nurses and midwives.”
“This has angered the nurses & midwives even more since this has proven that the government is capable to seek additional funds but then fails to seek additional funding for our sectoral agreement. “
MUMN continued to say it was also shocked by what has been revealed in parliament regarding the millions of euros being spent on ex-Labour officials on consultancy services while MUMN is continuously being informed that there is “not enough money” for nurses and midwives.
It also said that the latest counter proposals sent by the Ministry for Health demonstrated that the government has no intention whatsoever to address the nurses’ shortage in Malta by investing in young nurses and midwives but is “planning to bring more nurses from India, Pakistan or even from Africa through private local contractors”.
MUMN was also informed that the government, on his own accord, cancelled operations being done on Sundays under the scheme of ‘Sunday Initiatives’ even when such operations had no directives on them and involved patients suffering from cancer.
“This sends a clear message that the government had no qualms to cancel operations which operations involved oncology patients. Not only that but MDH is ordering nurses to work as porters to bypass MUMN’s directive.”
“Although several non-urgent operations were cancelled, both in Malta and Gozo, numerous bloodletting appointments were cancelled, and nurses are not washing patients, the government showed no compassion or empathy to address the nurses’ shortage nor to demonstrate any appreciation for the service which nurses and midwives deliver on a daily basis to their patients.”
“Health is not a priority to the government.”
MUMN was shocked when it was revealed in Parliament that the Prime Minister was actually informed that the deal with Steward was fraudulent way back in 2021 but they still went ahead with it.
“This demonstrates that the Prime Minister was not capable to take Steward to court to terminate the contract which caused the Health Sector to be drained of vital financial resources, much needed for the care of the patients, nurses & midwives.”
Now, MUMN will not increase its current directives at Mater Dei Hospital but will have to introduce further new directives in all Health Centres and in Gozo General Hospital.
The new directives in Health Centres:
- Will stop all nurses to accompany doctors in all Health Centres’ clinics
- Will stop all vaccinations related to travellers. MUMN has purposely spared not affecting any vaccinations related to children and oncology patients.
- Nurses in Health Centres will also not be doing any clerical work which will include not answering any phone calls.
The new directives in the Gozo General Hospital Outpatients:
- Nurses are not to assist in the following clinics—-Dermatology clinic, Neuro clinic, Urology Clinic, DOP clinic, SOP clinic, Paediatrics clinic, Ophthalmic clinic, Cardio Clinic, ENT clinic, Rheumatology Clinic, Nephrology Clinic and Respiratory Clinics.
- Not to perform any Pre-ops excluding confirmed oncology operations and paediatrics operations.
Once again MUMN invites the Ministry for Health to send counter proposals to MUMN on all the union’s incentives for the good of the people of Malta and Gozo. Nurses and midwives are the least-paid professionals all healthcare professionals in the Health Sector.
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