Union Haddiema Maghqudin still in Mater Dei task force

The Union Haddiema Maqghudin has insisted it is still participating in the Mater Dei Hospital task force set up to see to the current bed shortage, after Labour shadow health minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca claimed the union had called it quits on the hospital committee.

The union said it had repealed any industrial actions it had launched, after it confirmed that the rehabilitation centre - which Coleiro Preca revealed was being considered for conversion into a ward - would not be relocated.

The UHM added that the email correspondence Coleiro Preca publicised to prove that discussions were being held for the relocation of the rehabilitation units was internal, and should not have been publicised. "The MP did not ask for permission to publish email correspondence that was not intended for her. This is a breach of ethics that has painted a different picture of the situation the UHM has experienced."

The correspondence was the subject of a chain of denials from the health ministry and counter-claims by Coleiro Preca, on plans by MDH to convert the occupational and speech therapy units into wards.