(Adds ministry's reaction)

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said today it had not received a written invitation from the Health Ministry to take part in a task force set up to deal with the hospital bed shortage.

In a letter to Health Minister Joe Cassar, the union said that although the media reported the setting up of the task force and that the MUMN was being invited to participate, it had not received any written invitation from the ministry.

"For the MUMN council to be able to consider your request for the participation in such a task force, the MUMN is asking for information on the aims, objectives and the terms of reference of the task force besides a formal invitation.

"The MUMN council will evaluate the information requested and will inform you accordingly," the union wrote.

The decision to set up the task force was taken during a meeting attended by representatives of the Health Ministry, the Health Department, the Medical Association of Malta, the General Workers' Union and the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin. The MUMN had boycotted the meeting in protest at the way the government is handling the bed shortage situation at Mater Dei Hospital.

However, the ministry and other unions said in a joint statement afterwards that the MUMN was invited to be part of the task force.

MUMN was officially invited to be part of the group - ministry

In a statement, the Health ministry said it could not understand the reasoning behind the MUMN's statement, particularly since it followed an informal and positive meeting yesterday between the minister and representatives of the union.

The ministry said that the decision to set up the task force was taken during a meeting to which the MUMN was invited but did not attend. The statement issued by all those present after this meeting officially announced the setting up of this task force, and the MUMN was again officially invited to form part of the group.