MUMN declares industrial dispute at Gozo General Hospital

Shortage of carers at the Gozo hospital prompts industrial action by the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN)

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) declared an industrial dispute at the Gozo General Hospital, prompted by a great shortage of carers at the hospital.

The shortage, MUMN said, comes at the detriment of the patients and the elderly residents residing in Ward St. Anna.

“Such shortages were also due to the fact that certain carers were transferred to security guards or other duties without any replacements,” MUMN said.

Over 20 carers are currenlty needed to fill the long existing vacancies in a small hospital such as the Gozo General hospital.

“Although MUMN has been sending correspondence about this issue for more than a year, the commitments by the Health Division of engaging carers never materialised, even though this was promised on numerous occasions,” the union said.

Following previous MUMN directives, nurses were transferred from Malta to the Gozo General Hospital three times in this legislation.

But new carers, important supporting staff to nurses especially in elderly care, were never recruited in Gozo General Hospital.

MUMN has now proceeded to give a deadline to the Health Department: if by Friday week carers are not provided, all nurses in Gozo General hospital including the nurses working in St. Anna Ward, will carrying out care work and focus only on their original responsibilities. 

“For over a year, nurses at the Gozo hospital had to do all the additional work which should have been provided by such cares just to maintain a decent service to the elderly and due to the great respect nurses have for their patients,” MUMN said.

MUMN added that, after a year of broken promises, it has become clear that the elderly patients of Gozo General Hospital “are not of a priority to the Heath Department in Malta”.