The nurses ’ union has declared an industrial dispute over “thirdclass” conditions for its members at Boffa Hospital in Floriana, saying they were not being provided with appropriate disinfectant soap and uniforms.

“Even though the superbug MRSA (an antibiotic-resistant bacterium), exists in Boffa, not the same facilities are being provided there to the nurses as those offered to their colleagues in Mater Dei Hospital,” the Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives claimed.

“Nurses are working with no proper hand soap and therefore are suffering from skin allergies and conditions. Cheap unbranded cleaning products, including hand hygiene products, are being purchased specifically for Boffa because its management refuse to buy from the main general stores which supply Mater Dei Hospital.”

The union said it had made “several tentative measures” to address this situation but claimed the health authorities were “more concerned about the financial budget than the nurses ’ and patients ’ welfare”.

Nurses were not even being provided with scrubs, to replace uniforms that were still out of stock, unlike nurses working in other hospitals, it said, declaring these conditions as unacceptable.