Nursing aides will be taking sympathy action with nurses on Thursday, on the orders of the General Workers' Union.

The GWU on Wednesday informed the health ministry that nursing aides and other categories of health worker that it represents would not carry out any of the tasks which were usually done under the supervision of a nurse.

It said that its members would do the tasks as long as the authorities provided another professional to supervise, who would shoulder responsibility.

This is being done in solidarity with its colleagues in the health sector, the GWU said.

Read: Nurses to take industrial action on July 5

The nurses and midwives union will hold industrial action on July 5 following a breakdown of negotiations on a new sectoral agreement.

Among other directives, nurses at Mater Dei Hospital will not participate in the washing of patients except for those that cannot be bed bathed by the support staff. They have also been instructed not to distribute food, participate in any audit or perform any job shadowing.

Nurses will also not transfer patients going for elective operations to any theatres, endoscopy rooms or suites, except mothers scheduled for a Caesarean section.

The GWU said that its members would also not accept to do any work which was normally done by nurses.