Nappy changing directive attacked as 'shameful'

A directive issued to care workers at St Vincent de Paul not to help in the changing of elderly patients' nappies has come under harsh criticism but the Union Haddiema Maghqudin is adamant it will go through with the action.

As from Monday, care workers at the residence will not be helping with the changing of nappies, the union said on Thursday.

This was described by Parliamentary Secretary Helen D'Amato as "a direct attack on the patients who are most vulnerable, dependent and need most care". Ms D'Amato told The Times that this industrial action will have harsh consequences on the dignity and humanity of each and every elderly resident.

"Not changing their nappies regularly would result in bedsores, which have an immediate effect and long term consequences, since they could take a very long time to heal. It is shameful for care workers to act against the needs of those they care for," she said.

But UHM section secretary John Briffa, who is a nurse, said bedsores were not caused by failure to change a nappy but by failure to change the patient's position.

He defended the directive by saying that nurses and nursing aides would be there to do the job. He said that although earlier this month the union had issued directives to care workers not to help in the washing of patients, patients were still being washed.

However, Ms D'Amato said the fact that nurses and nursing aides were not involved in the industrial action was not a mitigating factor, since care workers were specifically employed to assist nurses and nursing aides to provide proper care for the elderly. The Health Department, Ms D'Amato added, was determined to minimise the negative effects as much as possible. According to the chairman of the Friends of St Vincent de Paul, Louis Cuschieri, this was the "worst thing they could do" and he said the elderly would be the ones to suffer.

Mr Cuschieri expressed concern that this directive would lead to bedsores in patients, which would not be easy to get rid of.

The daughter of a resident also expressed her concern about the new directive. Catherine Dalli's mother is one of the patients who needs nappy changing. "It is not a nice thing. Although I go there every day, I am not with her all the time," she said, adding that it was imperative for elderly people to get changed regularly.

Mrs Dalli said it was the duty of employees at the residence to ensure that the elderly people were well looked after and one of the important things was to ensure that they were changed regularly.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses also said the patients would be bearing the brunt of the directives. "This is a big problem. It will mean that nurses will have to make a daily contingency plan to cope," the president, Rudolf Cini, said.

Mr Cini said the union was considering calling a meeting for nurses employed at St Vincent de Paul to give them direction as to how to organise their work, firstly to decrease the effects on patients and also to safeguard the interests of the nurses.

The dispute revolves around the UHM's request for care workers to be paid an allowance for working with the elderly because of the risks involved in the job. As from Monday care workers at all government homes for the elderly, who are also following industrial action, have been directed not to distribute pills. Mr Briffa said this was the job of nurses, who had to prepare medication, give it to the patient and also ensure they take it.