The pharmacy dispensing service at Mater Dei Hospital is being suspended for hours every day as an industrial dispute over staff shortages persists.

In a memo circulated among the hospital’s healthcare professionals, which was seen by Times of Malta, Mater Dei's administration department said  that due to the “current industrial dispute”, dispensing services were being suspended between 10am and 1pm except in emergency situations.

Both the pneumatic tube and the online requisition systems were also being disregarded while the directives were in place, the professionals were informed.

Contacted about the dispute, a spokesman for the UĦM Voice of the Workers, the union representing public healthcare pharmacists, confirmed the action, pointing out that the dispute had been going on for some three weeks.

On what had prompted the action by the union, the spokesman said the dispute was registered in light of lack of adequate staffing levels.

He said that as a result of this and in order to make sure that all pharmacy services were offered, the staff were not even in a position to take any leave.

A meeting with the Health Ministry on the issue was held on Tuesday, the spokesman went on, pointing out however that there had not yet been any official reply, and that as a result the action called by the union was still in place.

Earlier this year, the union ordered a series of directives as talks over a new sectoral agreement failed. The dispute was lifted days later pending fresh talks with the government on its vision for the sector and better training opportunities for the pharmacists.