The militant approach pursued by the president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses has now been turned up a notch.

Ever since he threatened that his members from the nursing profession would strike over an alleged discourtesy shown to a nurse by a terminal cancer patient, he has continued to use this threat of industrial action on every possible occasion.

This time, however, he has gone a step further. He now presumes that the union should negotiate the terms and conditions of service for hospital consultants and consequently betraying an appalling ignorance of the terms and conditions generally accepted in the developed nations of the West.

Full use of highly trained and qualified medical consultants in acute general hospitals requires the availability of full-time, part-time and flexi-time posts. He also appears to need reminding that doctors and nurse have collaborated and benefited from mutual respect since time immemorial – for the ultimate benefit of the patient.

It is regrettable that this special and invaluable special relationship is being damaged by the way in which the MUMN is being led.

Joseph A. Muscat

TA’ XBIEX