The Gozo hospital is safer now than it was in the past and is in line with the safety level at other hospitals in Malta, according to the Health Ministry.
The ministry was reacting to claims by nurses’ union president Paul Pace, who claimed it was unsafe, understaffed and lacked basics such as alcohol rubs, bins in the wards and even washbasins in some toilets.
The ministry skirted questions by Times of Malta related to the lack of these basics but insisted the hospital was safe.
It elaborated on its vision for the Gozo General Hospital, which includes the relocation and upgrading of the Victoria health centre, the setting up a new orthopaedics unit and the replacement of older equipment, including most of the beds: one of the issues that concerns the union.
We gave the management time to address the situation back in July but it got worse
The ministry said standard infection control was in place and all staff were well trained in this respect.
It pointed out that in a recent survey carried out by the European Centre for Disease Control, no healthcare associated infections were detected at the Gozo hospital.
But Mr Pace said the issue was not about staff training.
“What we talked about was the lack of basic things any hospital should have.
“We will keep saying that the risk of infection at the Gozo hospital is greater than at any other hospital.
“We gave the new management time to address the situation way back in July, but rather than improving, it got worse.”
He stressed that since the situation had not changed, the directives issued to nurses last week would remain in force.
As from Monday, nurses at the Gozo hospital will not take patients for surgery or help them move around if the staff complement in the female general ward falls below six nurses.
The union also said that if the shortage of bins and alcohol rubs was not addressed by January 15, it would step up its action.