MUMN wants makeshift wards at Mater Dei closed

Elderly patients at Mater Dei Hospital have started being transferred to St Vincent de Paul after a court-imposed injunction forced the nurses’ union to lift industrial action.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses had ordered nurses at St Vincent de Paul, a State home for the elderly, not to accept new residents in the wake of a trade dispute.

As a result, the health authorities had to open two makeshift wards at Mater Dei Hospital – one in the staff canteen and another in the medical library – to accommodate elderly patients, who would normally have been transferred to St Vincent de Paul.

Government blamed the union for the situation and sought a court injunction to stop the industrial action.

However, on Monday, the MUMN said in a statement it was “calling Chris Fearne’s bluff” by asking the health authorities to close down the makeshift wards at Mater Dei, now that elderly patients could be transferred.

“MUMN expects that the Health Minister would finally close down the medical library and the staff canteen since both areas not appropriate to be used as wards,” the union said.

It also issued directives to nurses working in the staff canteen and medical library not accept further admissions in these makeshift wards from Thursday 8 December to enable them to close down gradually.

“MUMN is now calling Mr Fearne’s bluff after he blamed MUMN that such areas have remained open due to union directives at St Vincent de Paul,” the union said.

Last month, the Health Minister said Mater Dei Hospital was suffering from a shortage of beds that necessitated the creation of two makeshift wards because of MUMN’s industrial action at St Vincent de Paul.

“As a consequence, many patients who are still at Mater Dei are occupying these beds, leaving no beds for those who truly need it,” Fearne had said.