The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) has declared an industrial dispute over the situation in the Wonderland Ward at Mater Dei Hospital (MDH), saying that conditions are jeopardising patient safety.

"For the past six months, MUMN has consistently highlighted in various meetings that the conditions in Wonderland are jeopardising patient safety. Despite Wonderland and Disneyland-the two paediatric wards at MDH-having the same nursing staff complement, Wonderland accommodates six additional critical intensive care beds more than Disneyland." However, the Nursing Management keeps refusing to assign any additional dedicated nursing staff for these 6 additional critical beds in Wonderland, the MUMN said.

"Rather than increasing staffing levels in Wonderland, Nursing Management has at times resorted to deploying nurses from the relieve pool who lack paediatric experience. The chaotic patch-work practices imposed by Nursing Management reflect a deliberate refusal to acknowledge the valid concerns of Wonderland's nurses, amounting to a clear attempt to undermine and sideline their professional input."

This practice places already-stretched specialised nurses under further strain, the MUMN said. "Staffing a highly specialised paediatric ward with an insufficient number of appropriately trained nurses is leading to burnout among the dedicated staff who are doing their utmost to maintain paediatric care standards."

"Instead of supporting the nurses in Wonderland - who carry out a sterling duty caring for highly critical patients - Nursing Management, working comfortably from their offices, has repeatedly ignored requests and failed to acknowledge the ward's additional critical care burden compared to Disneyland."

There have been instances where no appropriately trained nurses were available, resulting in staffing levels that pose a serious risk to the health and safety of the children in Wonderland, the union said.

MUMN has requested several meetings regarding the situation, "but Nursing Management has consistently disregarded the recommendations of Wonderland's own nursing staff and refused to allocate the necessary additional nurses - despite the ward hosting six more critical care beds."

The union said that it is deeply concerned not only about the risk to children, "but also about the significant legal liabilities being imposed on nurses" due to what it describes as "the stubbornness and arrogance of Nursing Management at MDH, who continue to refuse to address the unsafe staffing ratios."

With no other option remaining, MUMN said, it is formally declaring a dispute in MDH and will be issuing directives on Wednesday, 3 December.

"These directives aim to safeguard both the health and safety of the children in Wonderland and the nurses from the legal consequences that may arise from the ongoing unsafe staffing situation. MUMN would like to assure the General Public that the directives will not have any impact on the children in Wonderland."