Nurses working at the Casualty Department at St Luke’s Hospital will, as from today, follow directives issued yesterday by the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses over the lack of resources at the department, which the union says is resulting in a deterioration of the service given to patients.

In a statement, the MUMN said the nurses have been ordered to classify incoming patients as urgent or not urgent, to accompany patients only in the presence of a doctor and strictly follow their job description, without doing more than they are expected to do. The union gave the authorities two weeks to rectify the situation. Otherwise, it would issue fresh directives.

The union said it has been insisting that nurses should be allowed to carry out their jobs in the best way possible. It said the situation at the Casualty Department has resulted in a longer waiting time for patients and added tension for the nurses.

The MUMN said that even minor requests, such as a proper uniform and an insurance policy for nurses travelling on ambulances, have been ignored. It said that since the authorities did not provide remedies for the situation, it had no option but to order industrial action at the department.