Children aged 16 and younger are exposed to the risk of sexual abuse and physical violence in certain wards at Mount Carmel Hospital, according to the nurses’ union, whose claim has sparked an investigation.
This was because they shared these wards with adults, including drug addicts, Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses president Paul Pace alleged.
“The situation in the wards at Mount Carmel Hospital cannot remain hidden from the media and the general public,” he said in a statement.
When contacted, Mr Pace said that although there were many allegations of sexual abuse, none of them had ever been proven.
“Why do we have to wait for something to happen to do something about it? What we are saying is that we need multi-purpose units where these children can be placed,” he said. The Young People’s Unit at Mount Carmel could not take all children as those with violent behaviour had to be placed elsewhere, he added.
The situation in the wards at Mount Carmel Hospital cannot remain hidden from the media and the general public
“What angers MUMN is seeing the Health Minister more concerned with patients’ profiling exercises and proposing extravagant projects such as the construction of a new mental hospital. This will take years. What we need are proper resources, both human and physical,” he said.
Mr Pace accused Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia of being “in total denial” of the current situation at Mount Carmel where drug addicts, children and patients suffering from various mental diseases were placed in mixed wards.
“It is a great pity that the Health Minister did not set up his office at Mount Carmel Hospital as he did in Mater Dei Hospital,” he said.
The Health Ministry said the claim had been referred to the Commissioner for Mental Health for an investigation to be carried out.
The commissioner would recommend any steps that needed to be taken to safeguard the health and safety of minors admitted to the hospital.
It said four experts from the health, education and family ministries would be drawing up a “holistic approach” to children and adolescents with challenging behaviour.
The ministry said there would be a request for EU funding for the construction of adequate facilities for specific niches in healthcare.
This would ensure that children and adolescents were not stigmatised by their association with Mount Carmel Hospital and that they would be given the best therapy possible.