Nurses’ union blasts MAM over ‘untruths’ on ventilated patients ward closure

Updated at 3:28pm with MAM reaction

The nurses’ union has said claims made by the doctors’ union on the closure of a ward for ventilated patients in hospital are “totally untrue and utterly misleading”.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said on Thursday the ward dedicated to plastic surgery and burns was temporarily changed to cater for ventilated patients during the COVID pandemic.

“It was always made clear that such ward would be used again for surgery once the COVID pandemic was over,” the MUMN said.

The MUMN was reacting to claims made by MAM that government intends closing a ward for ventilated patients in its ongoing dispute with government. The Health Ministry wants to reinstate the plastic surgery ward and has accused MAM of obstructionism.

“Contrary to what MAM stated, it is not safe having ventilated patients and surgical patients in the same ward and Mater Dei Hospital took the right decision to remove the ventilated patients to another secure area, which is better equipped and with highly trained nurses,” the MUMN said.

The union added: “Seeing MAM issuing false statements makes one wonder the union’s true agenda.”

The nurses' union also came out in support of measures being taken by the Health Ministry to try and ease waiting times at emergency. The government has claimed reforms are being obstructed by the doctors' union.

READ ALSO: ‘Don’t make the medical profession a scapegoat for government’s failures’ - MAM

MUMN said it has agreed to the deployment of 40 new nurses at the emergency department as requested by the ministry.

“This deployment shows a clear political commitment to addressing the needs of the patient and for better service. It is now up to the medical profession to implement the necessary changes such as the triage medical consultant which is being proposed to start addressing the needs for patient at the emergency services,” the MUMN said with reference to one of the reforms doctors are resisting.

On a separate note, the MUMN welcomed the findings of the magisterial inquiry into the death of Stephen Mangion, a patient who died in the waiting room of Mater Dei Hospital’s emergency department.

The union deplored attacks on nurses and health professionals made on “social media and political press conferences”.

“The natural death of a patient should never be used as a political football, especially when facts were distorted intentionally on social media so as to put the Health Ministry in a bad light by even attacking the health professionals,” the MUMN said.

The inquiry found no negligence on behalf of healthcare providers who dealt with Mangion’s case on the telemedicinie platform, at the Floriana health centre and Mater Dei Hospital.

The union added that truth prevailed. “This was an unfortunate incident and there was clearly no criminal negligence as some wished there was,” it added.

MAM reacts

In a short reaction, the doctors' union thanked MUMN for "publlcly revealing that the closure of the ward for non invasive ventilation was a deal between Minister Abela and MUMN behind the back of all the respiratory consultants responsible for such patient".

MAM President Martin Balzan claimed the move meant that patients were put at risk in wards with more than 20 patients against the advice of senior consultants in respiratory medicine.

"MAM thanks Infectious disease nurse Paul Pace for this information as it confirms the amateur approach to patient care it suspected," Balzan said in a sarcastic tone.