A course will be launched for hospital technicians, a new breed of paramedics who, the government is hoping, will serve to plug waiting lists for operations.
The training, at national diploma level, will have a practical component, and will be organised and delivered at the Malta College for Arts Science and Technology and the Health Department. It was scheduled to run over two years, starting in October 2009, the Health Secretariat within the Social Policy Ministry said.
It was reacting to scepticism expressed by the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses to the government's proposal to appoint theatre technicians to help out with the workload of operations.
Union president Paul Pace told a seminar on Monday that the role of such technicians was never made clear.
But the Health Secretariat said the job description of the new personnel was developed and discussed with the involved parties, including the MUMN.
The secretariat said the possibility of recruiting qualified nurses locally and from overseas was initially explored. However, due to their acute shortage across the globe, the Health Department was obliged to explore alternative avenues.
The strategy adopted by many countries, particularly the UK and the US, was to introduce trained healthcare personnel to complement the work of the limited nursing staff available. In fact, a significant increase in training programmes for health care workers had clearly complemented more training opportunities for nurses over the last few years, it said.
"It is believed that by having other healthcare personnel at service delivery points, qualified nurses would be in a better position to focus on and deliver optimal care."
On successful completion of the national diploma programme for hospital technicians, candidates may seek employment within the public or the private sector.
A post-registration specialist certificate programme for qualified theatre nurses is also being developed by the Institute of Health Care at the University, offering the opportunity to improve knowledge and skills to work in operating theatres.