The union said both issues had been pending for a number of months.

In a joint statement issued yesterday, both parties said the agreement would entail that during the first three weeks of the month, only nursing aides at St Luke’s would be allowed to apply for overtime.

In the last week of the month, nursing aides from other hospitals and health centres can apply to work extra hours. In that way, nursing aides working at St Luke’s will be given first preference to work extra hours.

Both parties also agreed that a redeployment exercise should be carried out to ensure that better use is made of nursing aides at St Luke’s.

It was also agreed that the movement of nursing aides to other wards can only be done if the mover’s ward is at full complement or if there are only a few patients assigned to the said ward.

As a result of the agreement, the union withdrew directives that it had issued on 3 November last year.