Nurses must shoulder responsibility of strike’s harm to patients, Malta surgeons say

Malta’s surgeons have issued a scathing verdict on the industrial actions by Malta’s nursing union, which have led to a number of surgical operations being cancelled over the past three weeks.

“With the union’s directives, the situation is even worse,” the Association of Surgeons of Malta said in a statement.

Referring to the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses’ president Paul Pace’s statement attacking medical consultants’ working practices, the ASM said that only one-third of Mater Dei Hospital consultants were also doing private practice. “Before the nursing union’s directives, operation lists in theatre were never stopped or cancelled halfway because there were no consultants to do the surgery but because of MUMN instructions that discouraged nurses to continue working after 5pm.”

The ASM said the situation was now worse. “Workers from all walks of life have a right to follow their union’s directives. However, they shoulder the responsibility of their actions and be aware of the inevitable collateral damage that will occur causing harm to patients whom we are privileged to be looking after.”

The MUMN’s directives for staff working at health centres and the Gozo hospital, comes in the wake of widespread industrial action, after talks with government over the sectoral agreement appear to have reached a stalemate.

The union is proposing several measures to improve work conditions for its members, including higher pensions and a reduced tax rate on overtime. The measures are expected to cost millions in taxpayer funds and have been rejected by the government.

MUMN boss Paul Pace said the package proposed by the union would cost around €75 million and not the €120 million government has intimated.

“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 has ‘Not Enough Money’ for the Nurses and Midwives,” the MUMN said.

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The union also said that “although several non-urgent operations were cancelled, both in Malta and Gozo, although numerous bloodletting appointments were cancelled, although nurses are not washing patients,” the government has showed no compassion or empathy to address the nurses' shortage nor to demonstrate any appreciation to the service which nurses and midwives deliver on a daily basis to their patients. “Health is not a priority to the government.”

“With all the dirty tactics being used by the Ministry for Health, MUMN (with great responsibility towards the patients) will not increase its the current directives at Mater Dei Hospital, but will have to introduce further new directives in all Health Centres and in Gozo General Hospital,” it said.

MUMN directives

Health Centres

Nurses will not accompany doctors in all Health Centre clinics

Vaccination for travellers will not be administered. Children and oncology patients will not be affected;

Nurses in Health Centres will also not be doing any clerical work which will include not answering any phone calls;

Gozo General Hospital

Nurses are not to assist in these 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

Nurses will not perform any Pre-ops, excluding confirmed oncology operations and paediatrics operations.