The University of Malta said it has not been officially informed about the ongoing negotiations to set up another nursing school in Malta.

Speaking to this newsroom, the university's communications director Patricia Camilleri said, "We hope the excellent nursing programme of the University of Malta in the Faculty of Health Sciences is not jeopardised as this depends on extensive clinical training, and on a very significant number of practising nurses with various specialities, who are trained specifically to provide on-the-job mentoring."

The aim of the new nursing school is to tackle the shortage of nurses in Malta.

This week, The Malta Independent confirmed that the government is in negotiations with Northumbria University based in Newcastle and the school - which is to be set up within the confines of St Luke's Hospital - is to be headed by former nursing union president Paul Pace, who had told this newsroom that he had taken a personal initiative to identify the school.

On Friday, during a Forum general conference, Mr Pace said that he will be taking up a new role in the health sector, confirming what this newsroom has been saying all along - that he will head the nursing school. He also did not contest the post of Forum president and has been replaced by MUT president Kevin Bonello as a result.

Mr Pace currently works in the infections control department at Mt Carmel Hospital. It is not yet clear whether he will be keeping this job as well when he is appointed head of school, although this newsroom is reliably informed that talks are underway for him to retain this position (for which he is negotiating a salary of between €21,000 and €24,000 plus a disturbance allowance of €10,000) concurrently with his new post at the nursing school (where he is set to earn in the region of €65,000 plus a number of additional perks).

This newsroom has also been informed that the MUMN has been involved in discussions with the school in question.

In fact, the new MUMN president confirmed that talks have intensified and the nursing school of Northumbria will be chosen.

As to Mr Pace's potential position, the university opted not to comment on the subject.

Meanwhile, Prof. Angela Xuereb Anastasi, Dean of Faculty of Health Sciences said: "The University was not informed in any way or included in discussions on the opening of the new nursing school.

"Heads of schools of nursing, which in most European countries are located in universities, would be expected to hold at least a Masters Degree, usually a doctorate."

It is not yet clear whether the campus in Malta will cater for students seeking a Masters degree or whether it will simply award diplomas. But according to Mr Pace, the nursing school will be offering a Masters degree course.

Dr Roberta Sammut, Head of Department of Nursing in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Malta, also hinted in a letter in today's issue (see page 20) that the University has always be open to discussion and this case should not be an exception: "The University of Malta has always been open to discuss strategies to meet the nursing human resource needs of the country. It has responded in the past with positive outcomes and continues to be available for such discussion."

In a recent interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday, Health Minister Konrad Mizzi had confirmed that a nursing school would be brought to Malta but added that the government was leaving all its options open as to which school would be chosen. Now it has been confirmed.

In fact, this newsroom reported this week that Mr Pace signed the contract with the Health Department.

MCAST health sciences senior lecturer praises move

MCAST Health Sciences Department senior lecturer Dr Michael Asciak - also a former PN MP - welcomed the news that a second nursing school would be catering for the country's nursing needs.

"Malta is in dire need of another nursing school to deal with the turnover of nurses.

"On average, nurses retire after 11 years of service, either because they get married or because they suffer from burnout.

"A second school should help deal with the shortage," he said. "Something which I have been saying for years," Dr Asciak added.

Dr Asciak also noted that Mater Dei Hospital's corridors are full of nurses from all over the world due to the shortage of trained Maltese nurses.