[WATCH] Care workers to receive training to meet nursing demand at Mt Carmel - Fearne

A shortage of nursing staff at Mount Carmel Hospital has resulted in care workers being asked to perform duties that only qualified nurses are supposed to carry out, according to Health minister and deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne.

On Thursday, General Workers Union (GWU) Public Service Secretary Jeremy Camilleri said that care workers at the hospital were being forced to carry out nursing duties, despite not being qualified. 

“Everyone knows that not only in Mount Carmel Hospital, but in the whole healthcare system, nurses are a scare resource," Fearne said. "Despite the lack of nurses, patients who require 24-hour supervision will not be denied such care.”

Fearne said that the government had substantially increasing the number of nurse and care worker staff, but the demand was also constantly increasing. He said that an agreement had been reached with the hospital's administration for care workers to be supervised by qualified nurses while they are carrying out their assigned tasks. 

Despite the union's claim that no action was taken by the hospital staff on the union’s suggestion to train care workers, Fearne said that work was currently on going to set up the course's framework. 

Turning to comments allegedly made by Mount Carmel CEO Stephen Sultana, who the GWU said had dismissed its concerns about workers doing jobs they were not qualified to do by saying: "I don't rent people, I rent hours”, Fearne said the hospital has always used a system of tendering for recruitment in certain roles.  

“As has always happened, even under previous administrations, tenders are released on the number of hours not on the number of people required,” Fearne said. 

The union yesterday also called on the minister to investigate another incident in which a nursing aide was allegedly commited to the same psychiatric hospital after a row with one of her superiors. 

On this case, Fearne noted that the case had been referred to the Commissioner for Mental Health and said he would be awaiting the outcome of this investigation before proceeding further.  

 “The report is currently being analysed by the commissioner for mental health and by the end of next week I will have at my disposal the whole report. When we have all the facts, then I will meet with the GWU and we will see the next course of action,” Fearne said.