Nurses' union raises alarm over staff shortages

The shortage of nursing support staff at St Luke's Hospital means that nurses are not able to give the optimal amount of attention to patients, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses claimed yesterday.

Union general secretary Colin Galea said the hospital was suffering from an "exaggerated shortage" of nursing aides, health assistants, cleaners, porters, couriers and ward clerks.

In a statement, Mr Galea said nurses were having to do the work of the support staff and consequently had less time to dedicate to the patients. He said this was happening at a time when there was also a shortage of nurses and midwives, who were suffering from stress and burnout.

Mr Galea said some wards were ending up with just one nurse since the other nurses were busy doing other work outside the ward which was usually done by support staff.

"This is a dangerous practice for the patients' health. Scientific studies by the International Council of Nurses have shown that a shortage of nurses increases the death rate of patients and increases cross infections at an alarming rate," he said.

The union is requesting a meeting with the director general of health. Mr Galea added that the union has already had meetings with the hospital authorities but although they were as sensitive to the issue as the union, they had no authority to employ new people. Recruitment authority is given by the Health Ministry.

Mr Galea expressed surprise that while the intention is that nurses will not need to move from the ward once Mater Dei Hospital opens, this policy has not yet started being implemented.