Nurses on a waiting list for job transfers in government hospitals claim they were bypassed when vacated posts they were after were filled by new employees.

The government insists the idea was to recruit more much-needed nurses and the decision was, therefore, in the interests of the whole nursing workforce.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses on Tuesday objected to the manner in which the Health Division had handled the vacancies.

MUMN general secretary Colin Galea explained that, according to normal practice, whenever a nurse wished to be transferred from one government-run hospital to another a formal request was made. That nurse's name was then placed on a list for transfer when a vacancy arose in the hospital requested.

Over the past three weeks, about eight nurses who worked in private hospitals applied for jobs with the government. These nurses were immediately posted in hospitals despite the fact that other nurses had been waiting for those vacancies for years, Mr Galea said.

The MUMN said it understood that the government was eager to take on more nurses. However, it called on the health authorities to find a solution to the unfair situation that was created. Some nurses had even considered resigning, Mr Galea added.

When contacted, Health Minister Joseph Cassar explained he was surprised at the MUMN's statement, given that the government and the union were engaged in cordial and regular meetings.

He explained it was a known fact, recognised by the MUMN, that there was a great shortage of nurses. Once the government received applications from former public hospital nurses who said they wished to work in their field of expertise, the decision was taken to recruit them. This, he said, was ultimately done in the interests of all nurses because their workload would be eased if there was more staff.