Mater Dei Hospital has said that cancelling procedures that would have been affected by an MUMN directive would have put patients' lives at risk.

Mater Dei Hospital said it wanted to "clarify its position regarding the recently issued directives that are the subject of a court injunction."

"On the December 2nd, 2025, MUMN issued a directive clearly asking the nursing compliment to not participate in procedures planned in Malta's only Cardiac Catheterisation Suite, as from the 4th of December 2025. The Cardiac Catheterisation Suite is a high intensity unit focused on treating life-threatening cardiac conditions, and cardiac conditions that can directly result in premature death."

"It needs to be clarified that without the expertise and participation of these specialised nurses, such procedures cannot take place, since these procedures require the constant presence of nurses with specialised training and technical competences uniquely present within the nurses employed in this unit," MDH said.

Although the directive refers to 'elective' cardiac procedures, it is important to note that despite the patient's condition being stable while awaiting such planned elective procedures, the conditions for which these procedures are performed can lead to serious complications in a short time, MDH said. "This includes heart failure, severe arrhythmias, stroke, and a significantly elevated risk of premature death. Cardiac interventions planned for Friday were aimed at diagnosing and treating coronary artery disease, implanting or servicing pacemaker-defibrillators, and also diagnosing and treating various cardiac arrhythmias."

Mater Dei Management said it is of the unequivocal opinion that cancellation of these procedures would have put patients' lives at risk. "Therefore, the outcome from the directive issued by the nursing union was out of proportion to the matter being discussed."