Double Standards Alleged in Court Proceedings
The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) has accused Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela of "unprecedented" double standards, claiming nurses are being pursued through the courts over leave disputes while doctors who cancel operations for holidays face no such consequences [1].
On Wednesday, the union condemned the ministry for taking legal action against Cath Suite nurses to halt future industrial action, with the first court sitting scheduled. According to the MUMN, this marks the first time a health minister has taken such punitive action against nursing staff [1].
"This episode makes the message painfully clear: when consultants cancel elective lists to take leave, it is approved. But when nurses stand up for their leave, they are dragged to court," the MUMN said [1].
Evidence of Festive Period Cancellations
The union says it will present court records showing that elective lists—both in the Cath Suite and the Main Operating Theatre—were cancelled during the festive period specifically to accommodate doctors' vacation leave [1].
The case will see Dr Robert Xuereb, who earns €122,000 per year, give evidence arguing that elective lists cannot be cancelled. The MUMN notes this contradicts actual practice, claiming such cancellations occurred during his tenure to allow doctors to take leave [1].
The union stressed its grievance is not an attack on doctors, who are fully entitled to their leave. Rather, it describes the situation as an indictment of an inequitable system [1].
Wider Concerns at Gozo Hospital
The MUMN pointed to further evidence of what it calls hypocrisy at Gozo General Hospital, where doctors have allegedly refused to accompany critically ill Gozitan patients to Mater Dei Hospital—yet no court action has been brought against them [1].
The union contrasted this with the "swift deployment of state resources and high-priced legal counsellors" against nurses defending their basic workplace rights [1].
The MUMN also accused the health ministry of failing to inform it that a dispute had been resolved two days before contested directives were due to take effect, claiming this omission inflamed tensions and breached established industrial-relations norms [1].
Systemic Issues in Healthcare Delivery
Beyond the legal case, the MUMN highlighted wider concerns about the minister's stewardship of the health service. The union argued that the cancellation of elective lists is symptomatic of a failure to deliver planned health projects, noting that the latest tender for the extension of the Cath Suite failed to materialise [1].
- The shortage of beds at Mater Dei Hospital has become more severe, exacerbated by increased population, with more patients being nursed in corridors without dignity, privacy, or proper care [1]
- The Early Pregnancy Unit, promoted by the government, was closed on Sunday with mothers transferred to another ward, mixing those experiencing miscarriage or early pregnancy problems with those in advanced pregnancy [1]
- The theatre and endoscopy recovery area has been hosting acutely ill medical patients for months, jeopardising patient safety [1]
The union said it will request testimony from both Cath Suite nurses and health ministry officials, and intends to submit records of festive-season elective cancellations as evidence before the court [1].
The MUMN reiterated its commitment to defending the rights of nurses and midwives across Malta and Gozo, calling for equitable and consistent standards across the health service [1].