Robot at centre of nurses union complaints increased efficiency, says health minister

Health Minister Chris Fearne said despite claims by the nurses' union, the medicine dispensing robot at Mater Dei Hospital had increased efficiency in the wards where the system was deployed. 

Speaking during the launch of a health clinic in Kalkara, Fearne said that when a system is changed, pushback is expected as not everyone works in the same way, and some may find the system a challenge in the short term.

However, Fearne said he wanted to clarify that the system was introduced to help nurses and doctors and not replace them. He reiterated that no one needed to be worried that they would be replaced. 

On Monday, the nurses' union claimed the multi-million-euro investment had been a “total failure”. Nicknamed Mario, the robot was introduced in 2019 to eliminate “all human error” in hospitals' distribution and dosage of medicines.

However, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses has claimed that the system frequently failed in two years of operation and dispensed wrong medications and dosages.

READ MORE: Medicine dispensing robot ‘worthless’, ‘total failure’, nurses’ union claims

Contradicting this, Fearne said the system had increased efficiency in the wards where it has already been introduced. 

Fearne also disputed the MUMN's claim that the Health Division is in total denial and would not admit that €25 million of taxpayer money has been spent on the machine.

Fearne said this was not true and the government had not yet paid anything for the system. The health minister said the government would be paying the contractor a percentage of the savings made from using the robotic system.