Nurses' union accuses health ministry of 'fake news' over Mount Carmel Hospital refurbishment

Updated at 6:00 pm with government statment

No refurbishment has taken place at Mount Carmel Hospital despite government promises, the nurses’ union is claiming as decrepit wards are closed and never upgraded.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses lamented that despite a promised investment of €6 million to refurbish the aged mental health hospital, no such work has been carried out.

The union said wards that were closed seven years ago remain shut and more wards are slated to close in the coming weeks.

“No investment has materialised at Mount Carmel Hospital except for the re-allocation of chronic patients to outside private elderly homes without any expertise in mental health care,” the union said, adding that the situation was also leading to the “chaotic mixture” of chronic patients with acute cases.

MUMN accused the health authorities of abandoning the hospital and Health Minister Chris Fearne of spreading fake news on refurbishments works.

“To this very day no investment or refurbishment has taken place… this situation cannot be allowed to prevail and the closure of more wards, without seeing any improvement works in progress, is demotivating to all the staff at Mount Carmel Hospital,” MUMN said.

It added that hospital management frequently encounters great difficulties to find an empty bed for new admissions, a situation that the union says is resulting in lack of dignity for patients.
“While other hospitals such as St Vincent de Paul are capable of refurbishing a ward in one year, at Mount Carmel Hospital any ward which closes down is never again opened,” the union said.

Government plays down claims  

In a statement on Monday afternoon, government played down claims by the union that wards are closed and never upgraded. 

“This is contrary to a statement by the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) which sought to give the wrong impression that no investment has been made to date and no works have been carried out at Mount Carmel Hospital,” government said. “Structural and renovation works in various wards at Mount Carmel Hospital have been ongoing for months and will continue. This is part of the hospital's regeneration plan.” 

It also said extensive works are underway in two other women's wards, FW2 and FW7, as well as in a full block, Block 1, in the same hospital, which are expected to be completed by next year. Meanwhile, a fully renovated hall, the Female Dual Diagnostic Unit, will open in the coming weeks, which will welcome up to 12 patients with mental health challenges related to drug use. 

“This is in addition to ongoing maintenance works in the hospital in general from day to day,” it said.