Former nursing union president Paul Pace is expected to head a foreign nursing school which will be based in the confines of St Luke’s hospital, this newsroom has learnt.
It is not clear however whether a Request for Proposals would be issued by the government for the nursing school which could mean that Mr Pace’s annual proposed €65,000 or so salary would partially be sustained by the private sector.
When contacted, Mr Pace did not confirm that he was approached for the position by government, however, he did say that he is involved in talks with the Northumbria University school based in Newcastle which is to open a campus in Malta.
“I identified the school not in my capacity as MUMN president, but on a personal initiative. Yes, I can confirm that talks are being held on the school,” he said.
In an interview following his resignation, Mr Pace had said that he, along with a health ministry official - identified the Northumbria University nursing school – to open up shop in Malta to help deal with the shortage of skills of nurses in Malta. This had been confirmed by Health Minister Konrad Mizzi in an interview a week later. However, Dr Mizzi said that the government was leaving all its options open as to which foreign nursing school would finally be chosen.
Mr Pace had also said, when asked, that he would not accept a run of the mill job offer from the government. He had said: “If I am asked to fill a challenging and interesting government post, I might accept it but I won’t pounce on any offer.”
Given that the nursing school is to be set up in Malta soon, sources told this newsroom that Mr Pace was sent for training in London for the potential post.
MUMN president confirms talks held tied to nursing school
Asked whether the MUMN held talks with the government as had been planned, recently appointed union president Maria Cutajar said talks were held with Dr Mizzi and Mr Fearne and confirmed that the Newcastle nursing school has been identified to open a Malta campus. She explained that Northumbria University tutors will be brought over to Malta to establish standards.
Ms Cutajar said that there were two other potential suitors, but once negotiations started with Northumbria, the government felt that it is best they continue with this school.
Some three weeks ago, this newsroom had sent questions to both Parliamentary Secretary for Health Chris Fearne and to Dr Mizzi’s ministry as well, and also sent several reminders to Mr Fearne’s secretariat asking when Mr Pace would be starting in his new post but the questions remained unanswered.