Cynthia Busuttil
Doctors, nurses want staff meals back soon
Medics at Mater Dei are adamant that the allowance being given to workers for staff meals should be a temporary solution, with doctors saying they will only accept the situation until the end of the month.
The president of the Medical Association of Malta, Martin Balzan, said the association will only accept the allowance as a "stop-gap measure for a maximum of one month".
Similarly, the president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, Paul Pace, said a proper solution needs to be found "as soon as possible", even though he would not be drawn into giving a time-frame.
The new allowance system was introduced on Friday, when the government stopped payment for the staff meals service after a midwife, the previous Monday, found the severed head of a mouse in her food as she ate in the staff canteen.
The incident triggered a panic and the government decided to stop the canteen service and instead give staff an allowance to buy their own meals wherever they wanted.
The midwife is still in shock and out on sick leave, Mr Pace said, adding that she will probably need counselling.
Dr Balzan described the incident as "unacceptable", adding it was the final straw, since staff had long been complaining that the food at the canteen was inadequate, citing small portions, poor quality and the fact that food at times was cold.
But although both the doctors' and nurses' unions have accepted the allowance to replace staff meals, they both believe that staff should be offered food on site, especially since Mater Dei Hospital is relatively isolated.
"There are no catering outlets close to hospital, making it difficult for doctors to go outside to buy food," Dr Balzan said. Moreover, the visitors' canteen is also run by the supplier of staff meals, Papillon Caterers.
Similarly, Mr Pace argued that going out to get food eats away at staff's break time. "They have to bring their lunch with them."
Dr Balzan said: "Some doctors work 30-hour shifts and the nature of their job is unpredictable, making it essential that they have food available on site." He highlighted that the collective agreement for doctors, which was reached shortly before the hospital was inaugurated, stipulates that doctors are entitled to food.
When contacted yesterday, Social Policy Minister John Dalli would not say how much the allowances added up to, suggesting that it could jeopardise discussions about other issues that were underway with the unions. However, he said, it did not amount to more than what Papillon Caterers were being paid for the service.
Asked whether the contract with the caterer had been suspended, Mr Dalli said this was not the case but insisted that the caterer was not being paid.
"Of course not. Should he be paid for food which he is not providing?"
Yet, on Friday Papillon Caterers managing director John Buttigieg said he was not aware that payments would be suspended. Attempts to contact him yesterday proved futile.
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9 Comments
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Raymond Zammit
Sep 9th 2008, 23:21
Is this a photocopy of what happened exactly in Finland. I just can't believe it!! It came exactly at the right time and at the right moment on the right plate so that allowances can be given. As far as I know RJC Papillon Caterers carries a high standard hygienic qualities. Why did you blame RJC Papillon when you know that the thing came packed from abroad, if it really happened? I have my doubts about it. What a shame doctors and nursies!!!!!!
v.scicluna
Sep 9th 2008, 09:59
@ Pamela hanson.
While i get the gist of your comment I cannot agree with you when you ask what the midwife who found the mouse's head in her meal is doing working in a hospital. this has nothing to do with the trauma she has gone through. we must make a difference whether the nurse saw the mouse's head before or after she had started eating. that makes a whole lot of difference. the nurse could develop some eating disorder like obsession with finding something in every pre packed food item. just reading the article makes my stomach turn. I know I would be traumatized if I had to go through a similar experience.
s.bugeja
Sep 9th 2008, 08:45
So Minister dalli says that the contractor is not being paid for food he hasn't delivered while the contractor states that he doesn't know that payment has been suspended. Great coordination!
john zammit
Sep 9th 2008, 07:44
Ha Ha very funny!!!!!!!!! I'm refering to the comment by Pamela Hansen. When ever you want I get you a permission to come and work for one day with us at the hospital so that you will understand better why we nurses are there for. And after we give you a nice meal!!!!!!!!
Michael Scicluna
Sep 8th 2008, 13:39
I sympathise with the nurse who had to find the mouse head in here plate. It seems that it is the first time that something like this ever happened in Malta's Catering Establishments, as the media could confirm that never has anything like this been reported in the press. So we have to make a news. The health department may confirm that a great number of food poisining happen in Malta every year in some instance groups of people attending a party, but it is never reported in the press to my knowledge, if it is we do not know who may be the faulty establishment so as not to tarnish ones reputation and not to alarm the public. So were do we go from here. Two weights to measures. Still believe that what ever the case may be it should never had happened.
J. Cilia Vincenti
Sep 8th 2008, 13:03
"The midwife is still in shock and out on sick-leave, Mr Pace said, adding that she will probably need counselling"
I am sure Mr Pace is referring to Vocational Counselling !!
Mark Fenech
Sep 8th 2008, 10:34
The operator of the Visitor's Canteen is the same as the Staff Canteen operator ???? WOW
Pamela Hansen
Sep 8th 2008, 10:21
Come on Mr Paul Pace don't overplay your hand. I have supported the staff at Mater Dei on the issue, but please don't stretch the joke beyond the mouse's head. If a midwife is still on sick leave and might need counselllng because she has a seen the head of a mouse on a plate, what is she doing working in a hospital?
What concerns me is that it seems that visitors are still having to buy their food from the same caterer that has been barred from serving staff. Is the customer service department doing anything about this? Of course visitors and outpatients do not have a union to back them up!
Joseph Cauchi
Sep 8th 2008, 09:41
"The midwife is still in shock and out on sick-leave, Mr Pace said, adding that she will probably need counselling"
REALLY ?