Social Solidarity Minister Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said that various audits to identify irregularities and lacunas that might have been created by age old practices have been commissioned and are close to being finalised.

She was referring to precarious working conditions while replying to the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses president Paul Pace’s claims that the government was blatantly ignoring the union’s proposals in terms of State contractual workers and State residence St Vincent de Paul’s shortage of nurses.

Mr Pace told this portal that the union presented a set of short- and long-term proposals to the government three weeks ago regarding all State contractual workers but the proposals seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

Currently, nurses at St Vincent de Paul have been issued work-to-rule directives by the union due a shortage of support staff and due to a reduction in overtime.

The staff shortfall is keeping patients with high risk of bedsores in their bed for long periods of time.

“MUMN is calling on the government to conduct changes to all contracts whose workers are subject to precarious jobs in order to enhance the service given to patients and to the public in general,” he said.

The ministry said that is committed to find the right solutions to move forward.

In fact, a board was recently set up at the home to identify various issues that exist there which, until two weeks ago, had been led by a one-man band.

“This ministry took immediate action once in office to address precarious work conditions and embarked on a wide range of consultation meetings with various stakeholders.

The ministry invited all stakeholders to continue with discussions to find immediate long-term solutions in the best interest of patients.