Alternattiva Demokratika – the Green Party (AD) expressed its dismay at the news that a nursery at Mater Dei Hospital will not be in place once the new hospital opens.

The party said it is particularly illogical considering that workers at St Luke’s Hospital at present can make use of a childcare centre where children over the age of one who are not yet at school are taken care of in a professional and caring environment by trained child carers while parents are at work.

Mario Mallia, deputy chairperson and spokesperson for social affairs for AD, said that “various paramedics, nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers at St Luke’s Hospital contacted AD to express their disappointment. The space that had been earmarked for the nursery is going to be used for offices instead.”

Mr Mallia also stated that “these workers said that they were promised a brand new and modern nursery/childcare centre will be available at Mater Dei Hospital and that this new centre will start catering for babies from as young as three months old. Child carers at St Luke’s have been informed that they will be redeployed in different wards.”

Mr Mallia concluded that “it useless to preach about family-friendly work measures and encourage female participation in the labour market, when the government itself is not implementing such measures in one of its institutions.”