The government has made another U-turn in signing the agreement with the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, Michael Farrugia, MLP spokesman on health, said.

Under the agreement, he said, first grade nurses would be given a warrant. Three years ago, during a discussion of the Professions Act, he had called for a warrant for nurses but the government had not only not accepted the suggestion, but voted against the Labour Party’s proposal.

The Labour Party, consistent with its request for such a warrant, had in its health sector plans bound itself to give a warrant to nurses if elected to government.

In a counter-statement, the Health Ministry said that the MLP acted in a partisan way where health is concerned.

The government is happy and proud that an agreement was reached with the MUMN after months of negotiations.

The agreement also included the issuing of warrants to nurses and midwives, and the government never said that it was against such an exercise.

The government treated health matters seriously and did not use the sector to gain political ground, the ministry said.