Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Labour Party spokesperson for social solidarity, and Silvio Parnis, spokesperson for the elderly, called for a system which would guard against abuse and exploitation of the elderly at St Vincent de Paul home for the elderly.

They were referring to a case last week in which a nurse allegedly beat an elderly man at the home.

Ms Coleiro Preca and Mr Parnis said it was not the first time that elderly people have claimed they had been abused or exploited but unfortunately it was not always possible to investigate such cases.