The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) has said that the situation regarding the out of stock items within the Health Division has gone from bad to worse. The union said that the present situation is that the out of stock list items is not just limited to the essential drugs which the general public make use on day to day basis but now it has extended to essential items which nurses have to use on their patients for vital procedures. The union went on to say that this includes nursing uniforms and the nursing shoes, which they said have been out of stock for the last two years.
The union said that It is clear that for the Health Division, the out of stock lists have become the “rule of the day” with no one within the Health Division being accountable to either the suffering of the general public nor the health and safety of the nurses.
MUMN said it will not remain silent or neutral when the health and safety of patients or when the health and safety of the nurses is being jeopardized. They said that Nurses cannot work without proper attire such as a proper uniform and proper dedicated shoe and if the Heath Division is indifferent to such a scenario, MUMN went on to say it will then have to take all necessary measures to address such a situation
“If the attitude of hiding problems under the carpet is convenient for the Health Division, MUMN will be the union to pull such carpet from under the feet of the Health Division,” the union concluded.