Casualty nurses extend deadline in dispute

New industrial action at St Luke's Hospital's casualty department was averted at the last minute when the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses extended its deadline for a solution to be found to what it considered to be lack of security in the department.

MUMN general secretary Colin Galea said the union has now given the hospital authorities until next Wednesday to find a solution before stepping up its action.

Last week nurses started following work-to-rule directives and the union had threatened further action from last Wednesday unless a solution was found.

When contacted yesterday, Mr Galea said union representatives had met the director general of health, Ray Busuttil, on Wednesday, adding that Dr Busuttil had shown a commitment to finding a solution to the nurses' problems.

The dispute revolves mainly around what the union claims is the lack of sufficient security in the emergency department. The union has made it clear that it has lost all trust in the security system and is insisting that security be provided by a private firm.

Mr Galea pointed out that the union will be waiting until Wednesday morning for any developments and unless they get satisfactory feedback the nurses will be ordered to stop triaging patients, the system through which the most urgent cases are seen first.