Following discussions between the Health Division and the Union Haddiema Maghqudin, it has been decided that a number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians will be employed in government pharmacies.

In a statement, the UHM said the Health Division has committed itself to engage more employees to work at government pharmacies. Following UHM’s recommendations on how the problem of understaffing can be resolved, the division said it would be employing a number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who this year finish their course at the University of Malta and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology.

The UHM said it would be ensuring that the call for applications for these employees is issued earlier than usual, giving ample time for the applications to be considered and the employees chosen.

The union said that during a meeting for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working at the St Luke’s Hospital pharmacy, the shortage of pharmacists to cope with the increasing volume of work there was brought forward. The union is holding discussions with the hospital authorities to see how the problem can be solved.