The UHM has ordered industrial action in the health sector after a number of agreements with the Health Ministry, on issues including parking, salary scales and study leave, were not implemented. The directives came into force yesterday.
The agreements were made between the UHM, Health Minister Konrad Mizzi and Parliamentary secretary Chris Fearne in April.
The UHM said it would not allow its members to be taken for a ride and therefore, directives were issued to Allied Health Professionals including dental hygienists, dental technologists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, among others.
The directives – which vary according to the profession of members - include not doing any community work; not reading, writing or answering any communication with the department outside working hours (including e-mails and phone calls); no cosmetic dentistry; no ward rounds; no handovers; no school visits, and others.
The directives will affect services offered at the Child Development and Assessment Unit (CDAU), Karin Grech rehabilitation hospital, Mater Dei, Boffa, Gozo General Hospital, the community and St Vincent de Paul elderly residence.
UHM representative Gian Paul Gauci explained: “In April a number of issues were solved with the Ministry for Health and agreement was reached by all parties. Unfortunately, it was confirmed by the Permanent Secretary that such agreements will not be honoured.”
This newsroom contacted Dr Fearne’s secretariat asking whether the Health Division intends to implement the April agreement. A secretariat spokesperson said that the representatives from UHM and the Department of Health met yesterday to solve a number of issues, one of which is the Allied Health Professionals. Meetings, the spokesperson said, are set to continue in the coming days.
“Very substantive progress is being registered and all remain focused on a rapid and full resolution of these issues,” the secretariat said.
UHM letter to members
In a letter seen by this newsroom, the union told its members that the decision leading to the directives was taken after the Allied Health Committee met to discuss the issues.
The issues which were not followed up by the Health Division include issues pertaining to Allied Health competencies, vacation leave, study leave, IT access to all Allied Health professionals, calls for applications which had to be issued for Scale 5s and 6s, further calls for service managers in different areas, parking problems at Mater Dei Hospital, among other issues.