Doctors are distancing themselves from potential consequences as an effect of the nurses’ industrial action, with their union arguing that they should not be held accountable if anything happened to patients between the time they are admitted to Mater Dei Hospital and the time they are transferred to the wards.

The Medical Association of Malta filed a judicial protest against the Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, expressing its concerns about the consequences of industrial action which they said was ordered by another union covering another sector of health professionals.

The union was referring to directives that came into force in recent days following industrial disputes that exist between other health professionals and the Ministry.

MUMN ordered the directives over the past few weeks when the staffing problem at Mater Dei Hospital took a turn for the worse.

Amongst the directives issued by the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, patients admitted by doctors in the Emergency Department are not being transferred to wards unless they had in hand patients’ entire history, referred to as “old notes.” 

Until then, patients are left in a corridor without any assistance.

The Medical Association of Malta also made it clear that the medical professionals it represents are now exempt from liability for any consequences resulting directly or indirectly from any variation, delay or even non-compliance with the instructions/orders given by doctors in the performance of their duties, and/or changes in the medical procedures used to date in the Mater Dei Hospital.