The MUMN warned today that government measures on the health service would not achieve their purpose and could be a waste of money.

In a reaction to the Budget, it said the measures would not address issues in the health sector regarding bed shortages.

The increase of doctors in the primary health care settings announced by the Ministry of Finance was not in line with the practices and modules used by European countries to enhance and improve primary care and community services.

What Malta needed were efficient teams of nurses who visit the elderly and other patients in their home in order to prevent readmissions to Mater Dei Hospital.

Nurses could offer services in the community which were not just limited to elderly patients but to a wider range of patients especially as follow up visits in nursing care so as to shorten the time patients needed to stay in Mater Dei Hospital.

"The concept of the Family Health Nurse which exists in the majority of the countries in Europe and worldwide is still non-existent in Malta. This is one of the reasons why patients are being cared in the corridors of MDH," the MUMN said.

"What the Minister of Finance proposed yesterday is only a short-term measure and after a few months, the situation will return to what it is today.  This will result in a waste of money and will not address the main issues of the problem in the health sector," the union said.