The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) has condemned what it described as "hypocrisy, double standards and a lack of respect" towards nurses working in the Cath Lab at Mater Dei Hospital, after the union said it was taken to court on New Year's Eve for safeguarding nurses' vacation leave rights.

In a statement on Monday, the MUMN said that the Health Minister, accompanied by three highly priced lawyers paid through public funds, argued in court against Cath Suite nurses who were seeking to avail themselves of their entitled vacation leave.

According to legal documents presented in court, the Ministry argued that although Cath Suite cases were classified as elective, they involved vital diagnostic procedures and operations for serious heart conditions, the union said.

The union said that the Ministry warned that cancelling such appointments could create a "manifest risk to patient lives," potentially leading to acute heart attacks, heart failure, serious arrhythmias, strokes and premature death.

However, the MUMN said that nurses working in the Cath Suite were surprised by the Court summons, particularly given that at least five elective lists were suspended between 24 December and 4 January to allow doctors to enjoy the festive season with their families.

The union said that during this period, only emergencies involving in-patients at Mater Dei Hospital were carried out, while elective lists involving patients coming from home were not scheduled at all.

The MUMN said that these are the facts that will be presented in court under oath. It said that on 24 December, no elective list was performed.

On 25, 26, 28, December, and 1 January, no elective lists were carried out due to feast days and Sundays, as expected, the union said.

The union said that on 27 December, only three procedures were carried out, when an elective list normally consists of a minimum of 10 patients.

These procedures included one box change, one ICD implantation and one ILR explanation, all carried out by electrophysiologists, it said.

It said that no elective interventions were planned by interventional cardiologists on that day.

Furthermore, no elective lists were performed on 29, 30, and 31 December, it said.

The MUMN said that its communication was not intended as an affront to doctors, who also have the right to take vacation leave.

Instead, it said that the situation highlighted what it described as hypocrisy, double standards and animosity by the Health Minister, who the union accused of harbouring resentment towards nurses for advocating for their vacation leave entitlements and of using patients against nurses "with no shame and no respect."

The union questioned whether the Health Minister would also be taking consultants to court for suspending at least five elective lists in the Cath Suite during the festive season, which the Ministry itself claimed could jeopardise patient lives and lead to serious medical consequences.

The MUMN said it was only due to union action that vacation leave without replacement was once again restored for nurses.

According to the union, nurses are being taken to Court for seeking to access their entitled vacation leave without replacement, even though such leave has not caused list disruptions and has been managed safely within the system for the past 20 years.

At the same time, MUMN said that doctors are permitted to cancel Cath Suite lists to take their vacation leave without patient safety being raised as a concern or used as justification to restrict their rights.

"This raises serious questions about equity, consistency and fairness within the health service," the union said, adding that patient safety should never be selectively applied.

"If it is a genuine concern, it must be used consistently across all professions, not as a tool to pressure one group of workers while another is facilitated without scrutiny," the MUMN said.

The union said that nurses are not asking for special treatment, but for the same respect and rights afforded to their medical colleagues.

"Patient safety cannot be used as a weapon against nurses while being conveniently ignored when doctors take leave. That is a clear double standard," the MUMN said.

The MUMN said that it will continue to defend the rights of nurses and advocate for the support and resources they deserve, adding that it considers it a victory that Cath Suite nurses have once again had their vacation leave restored without replacement.