The Mount Carmel hospital administration has launched an internal investigation after last week two patients escaped while being in the custody of the hospital under the supervision of the nurses in charge, hospital CEO Clifton Grima told The Malta Independent.

Dr Grima said one of the two patients, who absconded on 25 May, was not under level one supervision and was returned by staff within few hours. He added that “the incident was investigated internally and disciplinary action was taken”. He did not say what the action taken was.

In the second incident, Tom Stewart, a 59-year-old Briton, went missing 12 days ago on 20 May. He escaped while a nurse was supervising another patient in the hospital internal courtyard. Dr Grima said “that a departmental inquiry is under way” with regard to this incident.

The police on Wednesday issued a second appeal for information about Mr Stewart.

Dr Grima confirmed that in both cases a police report was filed immediately.

Last Wednesday the Malta Union of Midwives & Nurses declared an industrial dispute with the Health Department over Mt Carmel hospital, claiming that a nursing shortage led to the escape of a patient. The MUMN corresponded with the Health Ministry and strongly protested against decisions being taken by the Health Department on Mt Carmel Hospital.

The MUMN complained about the lack of nurses at Mt Carmel, stressing that there aren't enough to look after the patients, "and worse than that, there are too few nurses to keep a constant watch over those patients who, Psychiatrists decide, require such special attention". "This means that instead of having three nurses on constant watch with three patients, there is one nurse for three patients, with all the consequences including unsafe practices".

The MUMN has been informed by its members about a new procedure during the investigations board related to this case. "Nurses will be required to take an oath before they testify to what occurred. This action shows a clear trust in the nurses by the Department of Health, given that the nurses already wrote nursing reports and incident reports relating to the case".

"Over the past days, Mt Carmel nurses were told to do the work of porters, by staying by the doors, opening them and closing them for all those who enter and exit, given that the keys given to certain employees were taken, without a new procedure allowing nurses to focus their attention on patients being introduced".

Another new procedure "imposed on the nurses over the past days shows that nurses were ordered to fill out audits related to work which falls under the responsibility of other professionals, regarding first level constant watch and treatment orders. The MUMN cannot accept nurses taking responsibility for others and Management should have the courage to hire someone to do this work".

As such, the MUMN has declared an industrial dispute with the Health Department over Mt Carmel Hospital, and with immediate effect, issued the following directives: No nurse should take an oath before the investigation board, no nurse should open and close the main hall door for workers who, up until a few days ago had a key, no nurse must fill out a form related to first level constant watches or treatment orders which are meant to be filled out by other professionals.

The MUMN said it is considering other actions.