Nurses at Sir Paul Boffa Hospital have been directed by their union to not get involved in the migration to the new oncology centre being built alongside Mater Dei Hospital and to boycott any administrative instructions from clinical consultants.
In a statement, Paul Pace, the president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN), lambasted Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia for repeatedly undermining the government’s commitment to ‘listen’ because meetings were always about impositions, rather than consultations.
Dr Farrugia, Mr Pace continued, did not seek the opinion of the nursing and midwifery management or the nurses working at Mater Dei Hospital and Boffa Hospital on the Strategic Business Unit (SBU) set up to manage Mater Dei.
The SBU, Mr Pace argued, would negatively affect Boffa since its operation would be transferred to the Mater Dei management.
It is the MUMN’s duty that even in matters of industrial relations, it should operate in a balanced way
“Today Boffa Hospital is autonomous and this concept resulted in the smooth running of the hospital, with nurses being proud of the excellent service they give to their patients.
“This autonomy is literally being shattered by the minister’s Strategic Business Unit, whose head is in the sand [sic] and refuses to listen.”
The union said it was resigning from the management/union joint committee set up by the minister since all decisions had been taken without prior discussions.
In a statement addressed to Mr Pace, Dr Farrugia said his behaviour in relation to vulnerable people was unacceptable.
The directives were directly or indirectly undermining the treatment and care that patients are entitled to, Dr Farrugia said.
“I draw your attention to the fact that it is the duty of the MUMN that even in matters of industrial relations, it should operate in a balanced and bona fide way.”
Mr Pace refused to attend a consultative meeting held on Friday on the Strategic Business Unit.
The reason, the government continued, was that – barring the minister – Mr Pace wanted to dictate which government officials should be at the table.
“We remind you that, as the court itself stated even in cases involving the nurses union, it is the duty of every employee that when he attends work, he follows the orders of his principal.”