Examination results linked to the promotion of Mater Dei Hospital nurses were inexplicably withdrawn by the Health Ministry just hours after being published, this newspaper was told.

A Health Ministry spokeswoman confirmed the results had been withdrawn “pending a Public Service Commission decision”.

A call for applications was made in July to fill the post of charge nurses. Applicants were notified through an SMS last Friday that the results could be viewed on the Health Ministry’s notice board in Valletta. However, just two hours after the first notification, the applicants were informed through another text message that the results had been withdrawn. No explanation was given, applicants told the Times of Malta.

“Kindly ignore the previous notification regarding the issuing of result of the post of charge nurse MDH within the Ministry for Health,” the new message said.

The applicants who spoke to Times of Malta said they were left in the dark and questions they asked the Health Ministry remained unanswered.

“We have never experienced such a situation where results were first published and then withdrawn. I hope that, in the process, the results will not be changed,” a senior nurse who sat for the examination said.

I hope that, in the process, the results will not be changed

“We will wait and see what happens. If things change it’s straight to the Ombudsman,” another nurse, who, according to the results was promoted, said.

Unconfirmed reports reaching this newspaper indicated that among the applicants were relatives of senior officials in Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s private secretariat. When asked about this, a Health Ministry spokeswoman would not comment but admitted that the results had been withdrawn.

“Away from baseless allegations, the Ministry for Health clarifies that the results for the post [charge nurses] are pending a Public Service Commission decision after two petitions from candidates regarding their eligibility to apply,” she said.

“Marks awarded to candidates will in no way be changed or altered,” the spokeswoman said.

The nurses who spoke to this newspaper insisted it was the order of merit that must not change and not the marks.

The ministry spokeswoman did not clarify which “baseless allegations” she was referring to when asked what she meant.

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