[WATCH] PN accuses government of not doing enough to recruit nurses

The Nationalist Party has accused the government of not doing enough to attract students to the nursing profession, with the consequence that many were demoralised and over-worked.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters, PN Health spokesperson Stephen Spiteri said that the fact that there was a shortage of an estimated 550 nurses meant patients were not receiving the level of treatment they deserved.

Last week the union said it had instructed its members to follow industrial directives as of Thursday over what is described was a collapse in talks with the government over a new sectoral agreement.

Referring a story published by sister paper Illum on Sunday, Spiteri noted how the situation had now resulted in the daily cancellation of about 15 operations.

A lack of nurses, he said, was also negatively impacting nurses themselves, who he said were often forced to work up to 16 hours extra every week.

“They end up burnt out. They are tired and this is not right,” he said, adding that the healthcare needed workers to be alert and well rested.

Spiteri insisted that the government had no long-term plan for the healthcare sector, which he said had been abandoned.

“The shortage has been coming for the last months, if not years,” he said.

Spiteri said that society was obliged to support the nurses union while also warning the government that the current situation could not continue.

Not equipped for future demand on healthcare services

PN candidate Herman Farrugia described the nursing profession as a bastion of the medical profession and was essential to effective healthcare.

He said that the fact that situation had been allowed to deteriorate to this level meant there was little motivation for students to consider a career in nursing.

This, he said, led to cascade that affected all levels of the healthcare sector.  

As was the case with the country’s physical infrastructure, Farrugia said that more needed to be done to strengthen healthcare infrastructure, which he said could be expected to cater for an additional 40,000 individuals over coming years.