New nursing officers

The appointment of 53 nursing officers was confirmed yesterday after they were recommended to the Public Service Commission by the Health Ministry.

The ministry said the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses had been informed about the process. Thus, it was surprised by union president Paul Pace’s “ambiguous” statement that only 15 would be promoted.

Mr Pace had also claimed that the PSC could not complete the process to appoint the nursing officers because it was waiting for information from the health authorities.

The ministry said the union had been kept informed about the situation in several meetings, with the latest update taking place on Wednesday. Earlier this week, the union and the ministry clashed after Mr Pace called for the resignation of Health Minister Joe Cassar accusing him of failing to mention nurses while addressing a conference organised by the doctors’ association. Soon after, the Prime Minister and the Medical Association of Malta publicly defended Dr Cassar, thanking him for the good work. The medical association also criticised the MUMN, saying their words were “unjustified and uncalled for”.

Mr Pace’s comments were also condemned by the Union Ħad-diema Magħqudin, which “dissociated itself” from the statement.

The union said it received a number of complaints about the tone of the statement from nurses and paramedics who were union members and even from other professionals who were not.

The union’s health services section pointed out that even though discussions with the health authorities were sometimes “difficult”, Dr Cassar and the ministry were always respectful in their words and actions.