Newly diagnosed cancer patients on six-week waiting list - MUMN

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses has warned it will issue directives to its members at Boffa Hospital due to the delays and postponements in treatments received by cancer patients.

Today, the union pointed out that newly diagnosed patients are being put on a six-week waiting list to start treatment.

In a statement the union said “such pain and suffering by these vulnerable patients” is occurring for two main reasons; the lack of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians and because the hospital is being run without a management.

MUMN said patients suffering from cancer attending the chemotherapy day ward at 6.00am are being made to wait for at least six hours before receiving treatment and at times patients have their chemotherapy treatment cancelled due to backlogs and lack of space.

Moreover, it said patients in the waiting area in the oncology wards in Boffa Hospital are waiting from 7am till 3pm for their chemotherapy treatment to arrive from the pharmacy.

“Chemotherapy sessions are also being cancelled for patients attending the wards at Boffa during the week, since backlog from the weekend is depriving bed availability for the huge number of patients.”

The statement added that MUMN has been proven right on the importance of Boffa Hospital having an autonomous managerial structure from Mater Dei Hospital. 

“Unfortunately, such autonomy managerial structure was destroyed by the previous Health Minister by the removal of the C.E.O at Boffa Hospital, the same C.E.O which till this very day has not been replaced.”

It said that as a result there is no co-ordination between the services in the small hospital, insisting that medical clinical consultants should never be considered as hospital administrators.

MUMN said the “silent human suffering is occurring on a daily basis” and

due to lack of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians is severally hindering the services during the whole week.

MUMN called on the Health Ministry and the Health Division for an urgent meeting on this matter, since its proposals to elevate such human suffering in Boffa Hospital.

Also, the managerial aspect of this hospital has to be given its due importance since a hospital being run on " automatic" mode cannot offer any excellence in services for the patients.

In addition, the union said that since the migration plans are being finalized without its involvement, “MUMN will not be accepting any fait accompli document regarding the work practices of Nurses and Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians who are members of MUMN.”