Vitals Global Healthcare and MCAST today signed an agreement establishing a nursing degree programme, in collaboration with Northumbria University. 

VGH officials said that the degree shall explicitly meet all of the requirements of the EU Directive for General Nursing; the Malta Council for Nurses and Midwives' Scope of Professional Practice; and the Malta Council for Nurses and Midwives' Code of Ethics.  The programme will take in 30 new students per year during its first years, where students will receive three years of full-time education and training that will result in the achievement of a Bachelor Degree in Nursing Studies at 180 credits.

The first year of the programme will be taught on MCAST facilities, until works to build a state-of-the art nurse skilling facility at the St Luke's Medical site are completed. 

Northumbria's nursing programmes were the first in the country to be accredited by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), in addition to being approved by the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).  Dr Silvio De Bono commented that this is a natural progression for MCAST, that already holds strengths in degree programmes in Health Studies, Physiological Measurement and Care Practice. "It will capitalize on MCAST's advanced Applied Sciences facilities and specialised human resource skilling in the health domain". Dr De Bono emphasized that MCAST works with dedication towards providing skilled graduates in areas of strong industry need such as that present within the nursing sector, and constantly collaborates with key relevant institutions such as the MUMN.

 "The shortage in the nursing sector presents one of the biggest challenge in healthcare across the world. By setting up a world class degree, we will attract more nursing students to the profession, working to tackle this shortage directly" VGH CEO, Dr Armin Ernst stated.  "It is a known fact that healthcare students often develop an emotional bond with the hospitals where they receive the clinical part of their education, which makes us confident that a significant number of these students will chose to stay on and work at hospitals across Malta and Gozo, once they complete their education. Foreigners applying for these courses will also be trained in the Maltese language, working to eliminate any existing languages barriers," Dr Ernst added.  "Education and high level training of staff are important to our organisation, as we continue to strive towards improving patient care and upping standards across the board".

Vitals CEO Armin Ernst said that there are estimated to be a shortage of around 350 nurses in the workforce today. The nurses there are, he explained, are overworked, overstretched and burning out. 

The temporary way to solve the problem is to bring in foreign nurses he said, "however that is just a bandage, and does not solve the long-term problem. "What we are talking about today is a sustainable solution to train more people locally and offer more opportunities to Maltese people to enter the workforce.  This is what I believe we need and what this agreement will provide". 

He described Northumbria as one of the most recognised names in nursing education around world. "Vitals will fund the enterprise for three years to a tune of €2 million". 

Health Minister Chris Fearne said that Malta will have a second nursing school in Malta for first time and said that it will not compete with the University of Malta Nursing School. 

"While this school will be free for Maltese students, the target will be foreign students who come to Malta and pay for education, but the course will teach them our systems".

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo spoke of the skills gaps and said that the education sector and the economic sector must continue to come together to solve the skills gaps.