Family health nurse system proposed

Primary health care ought to be given the importance it deserves and the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) is convinced that the introduction of a proposed family health nurse system would be a step in the right direction.

While expressing his concern that primary health care was not allocated enough funds in November's budget, MUMN president Rudolph Cini said the union was taking a proactive stance.

With the help of experts in the primary care section, the union came up with a draft curriculum for a two-year family health nurse course based on the model already adopted by other countries within the European Union.

The union is expected to present the curriculum to the Health Minister, the opposition and the director of nursing services.

Speaking during a press conference held outside the Floriana Health Centre, Mr Cini explained that St Luke's Hospital has a capacity of over 900 patients whereas Mater Dei Hospital would be able to accommodate about 800. The question to ask, he said, is what would happen to the remaining 100 patients when the new hospital starts operating in mid 2007?

He was quick to add that MUMN was not asking for an increase in hospital beds. He called on the health authorities to follow World Health Organisation advice, that is, that primary health care ought to be the foundation of health services which ought to be based on education, prevention and care.

Introducing the family health nurse would mean that people can be medicated in their own homes and, apart from this, it would also ensure an improvement in primary health care while keeping valuable hospital beds free for those who really needed them.

A family health nurse would specialise to deal with a family and would be able to build up a family profile. Apart from, for example, merely changing a patient's dressing the family health nurse would understand the cause of the wound.

The nurse would also be able to refer the patient, say in a case of abuse, to the appropriate services and would also be able to teach the family how to look after a patient at home and how to deal with the stress and burden of illness.

Mr Cini said the MUMN is not merely a trade union but a professional organisation genuinely interested in the well-being of all citizens. For this reason it will be holding a conference on December 15.