The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses has ordered its members not to accept, as from Thursday, any new admissions at the staff canteen and medical library at Mater Dei Hospital, which are being used as wards.

In a statement “calling (Health Minister Chris) Fearne’s” bluff, the MUMN said that the minister had said that a shortage of beds at Mater Dei is a result of the union’s directives. In August, the MUMN had issued directives for its members at St Vincent de Paul Home not to accept new admissions after it took exception to an inquiry report following the disappearance, and later death, of a patient.

Fearne had said that Mater Dei’s situation with beds is suffering because of the industrial action ordered by the MUMN. The MUMN has ordered that nurses at St Vincent de Paul (SVPR) home do not accept new patients, which means that elderly persons who do not need to stay at hospital but cannot be sent home due to needing more care cannot be moved to SVPR.“As a consequence, many patients who are still at Mater Dei are occupying these beds, leaving no beds for those who truly need it,” Fearne had said. He added that this action has had an impact on the health department.

Last week, a court ruled against the order given by the MUMN for new admissions at St Vincent de Paul home for the elderly.

In its statement today, the MUMN said that after the ruling, all transfers from MDH to SVPR are supposed to be concluded by 7 December. “Therefore MUMN expects that the Health Minister would finally close down the Medical Library and the staff canteen since both areas not appropriate to be used as wards,” the MUMN said.

“Therefore, as to allow all transfers to SVP from MDH to take place, MUMN is issuing directives to the nurses working in the staff canteen and medical Library that from Thursday, 8 December no further admissions are to take place in the Staff Canteen and Medical Library so that these areas will gradually close down.”