The government yesterday accused the nurses' union of flagging a language barrier issue to oppose an initiative to recruit foreign staff and so improve health services.

The president of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses, Paul Pace, said on Wednesday the government's plan to recruit up to 300 foreign nurses meant there would be whole shifts consisting of non-Maltese speakers.

The Health Ministry said the government was committed to increase the number of qualified medical staff, including nurses in hospitals and other places where healthcare was provided.

There were openings for more nurses to join the public service and the Health Department was also willing to accept qualified nurses from abroad.

Yet, the MUMN had opted to object to such an initiative, on the pretext of language.

The ministry noted that in Malta there had always been nurses, midwives, doctors and other professionals who spoke English and who integrated themselves in a professional manner in the different health sectors.

It accused the MUMN of contradicting itself when, on the one hand, it spoke of a nurses' shortage but then criticised the Independent Nursing Council and the government for making a collective effort to attract qualified nurses.

The union, the ministry recalled, had done the same with regard to the recruitment of operating department practitioners.

The ministry noted that apart from the efforts to find more nurses, the government was insisting on more Maltese students being trained as nurses in Malta and inviting qualified Maltese nurses to return to the public service.

Qualified nurses beyond the age of 61 were being accepted and flexible hours were being offered.