The government and the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) have launched the annual nursing recruitment drive as the current 3,150-strong workforce is simply not enough for the amount of services offered.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Health Minister Chris Fearne said the workforce needs to be bolstered by around 300 to 400 nurses.

Mr Fearne said the new Oncology Hospital, the reduction in waiting lists, the new children’s ward at the emergency department and newly introduced services in the outpatients department have all led to a greater demand for nurses. The upcoming maternity and children’s hospital at Mater Dei will further increase this demand. So will upcoming projects by the private sector.

Around 160 nursing students will be graduating this year but it is envisaged that up to 200 nurses could be employed by the health authorities by the end of 2016.

Mr Fearne noted that 55 students were sitting for an MCAST course aimed at preparing them to study nursing at the University of Malta. He also spoke about foreign nurses  - there are currently 290 working in Malta. The Minister said the country had to employ foreign nurses because there were simply not enough Maltese people in the job.

The employment of foreigners, he said, has been a mostly positive experience. Foreigners must at least speak English to be eligible to work in Malta but they also have to sit for a 3-month course in basic ‘medical speak’ Maltese.

The Minister urged all youths to consider a rewarding and opportunity-laden career in nursing.

MUMN President Maria Cutajar also spoke about the different opportunities a nursing career could offer. She said the union was doing outreach programmes, including in primary schools, to teach children about the benefits of a nursing career.

Asked about the current state of the relations between the government and the MUMN, union secretary general Colin Galea said the relationship was a good one, despite divergences. He also announced that a new nursing sectoral collective agreement would be rolled out in the coming weeks.