St Vincent de Paul 'frustrated' by work overload

Nurses at St Vincent de Paul Residence for the Elderly are unable to provide patients with the level of care they deserve because of the work overload, the nurses' union said yesterday.

Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses general secretary Colin Galea said nurses are having to prioritise the residents who need most care.

This situation was frustrating for nurses and presenting them with ethical and professional dilemmas, Mr Galea said.

An agreement had been reached between the union and the Health Division that the number of nurses and supporting staff would increase when the number of patients went up.

This had, however, not happened, and the union yesterday voiced its complaints in a letter to Parliamentary Secretary Helen D'Amato.

The union has asked for a meeting to find solutions - both in the short- and long-term - adding that unless the situation was resolved, it would have to resort to industrial action.

When contacted, an official from the Parliamentary Secretariat for the Elderly confirmed that an e-mail was received from the union shortly before the union's press release was issued.

A meeting between union representatives and the management of St Vincent de Paul was held yesterday morning, and the secretariat had to analyse the outcome of this meeting before giving further comment, the official said.

The secretariat, he noted was always prepared to meet the unions.