Updated | New missive against health minister from nursing union

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said that mass transfers for nursing officers across all public hospitals had not yet taken place since they were "unexpectedly" announced a month ago, and that the delay was now causing demotivation amongst nursing staff.

"Such transfers, although declared more than one month ago, are still awaiting ministerial approval," MUMN president Paul Pace said.

"The Health Minister seems to be more preoccupied with his budget speech and the propaganda that such speeches bring about, than actually with the running of the health ministry itself."

Pace accused health minister Joe Cassar of 'laissez-faire' management but said the transfers should not be carried out throughout the festive season. Pace said the transfers should not be carried out through Christmas since vacation leave would have been booked.

"Whilst the minster would be now enjoying Christmas with his family, hundreds of nursing officers and their families are left worried that every phone call during their line of duty or any letter in their letter box, [they will find] their fate sealed through a transfer that will result in anger and pain," Pace said.

"On one hand the minister declares his appreciation of the nursing profession and makes a scene by thanking them on the media for propaganda, and on the other the health division itself is causing stress and anxiety to all the nursing profession who are left in the dark of their outcome at their place of work."

In a reaction, the health ministry said the transfers also came with the addition of 50 new nursing officers.

"The process to identify where these officers are mostly needed is a time-consuming one. The MUMN did not mention this fact, when it is itself the body being consulted and involved in the process," the ministry said.

The ministry also said that the union's attitude was disparaging towards health minister Joe Cassar.

"The MUMN criticised a speech by the minister in which he talked of the intake of some 250 nursing graduates next year. "The MUMN criticised a speech that announced reduced waiting times for operations... despite these and many other initiatives, the MUMN simply insults and attacks the health minister in the name of nurses and midwives."