Be the first to comment!MUMN calls for urgent meeting with the Minister for Gozo
 Email item
|  Print item
|
|
The Malta Union of Midwifery & Nurse has written to the Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono, requesting an urgent meeting to find a solution to the problem that Gozo nurses consistently have trying to take their vacation leave.
A substantial number of nurses from various departments, have in recent months complained to the Union that they face great difficulties taking their vacation leave. This is now happening on a regular basis and the MUMN said it can no longer accept such a situation.
The MUMN said that although the Ministry of Finance has allocated a considerable sum to the Ministry of Health to be allocated for overtime in hospitals in Malta, the Ministry of Finance is being excessively strict at the Gozo General Hospital, to the great detriment of Gozitan nursing staff, who are being denied their right to take vacation leave.
The MUMN also noted that the Gozo General Hospital is also suffering from a shortage of nurses. Additionally the hospital should allocate a relief pool of nurses, so they can cover the shifts of those nurses who want to to utilise their vacation leave.
The MUMN said that it understands that the country has a shortage of nurses, but expects that the authorities concerned should do all they can to alleviate the situation. The union said that the wages which are being saved due to the lack of nurses should be given to the management of the hospital to enable them to solve the problem with the lack of vacation leave.
A number of Gozitan nurses are working daily overtime in hospitals in Malta in order to mitigate the lack of nurses and it makes no sense that these same nurses are not being utilized in the Gozo General Hospital so that their fellow nurses are able to take their vacation leave as is their right.
The MUMN said it cannot accept this situation any longer and therefore calls for an urgent meeting with the Ministry for Gozo to resolve the situation and prevent the Union having to take further steps to protect the interests of its members.
