Mater Dei Hospital’s pharmacy will close its waiting room to patients one-and-a-half-hours earlier as from tomorrow as pharmacists step up industrial action in protest against recent staff transfers.
The pharmacy usually stops allowing people into the waiting room at 1 p.m. so that staff have time to serve them and clock off at 2.30 p.m.
However, due to the workload, the staff often end up leaving at 4 p.m., Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin’s health sector representative Joe Bonello said.
A spokesman for the Health Ministry said: “The situation which arose as a result of these staff movements at the Mater Dei Hospital pharmacy gave rise to union action. Discussions are still underway to find a solution.”