Nurses working at healthcare centres have suspended industrial action that was ordered by their union in a row over who should question patients about possible COVID-19 symptoms.  

Health minister Chris Fearne announced the development in a tweet, saying dialogue was always better than confrontation.

The row stemmed over who should be asking visitors at health centres a series of questions to ensure they did not have COVID-19 symptoms.  

Until recently, it was doctors who were asking the questions at the door, after the Malta Union for Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) objected to nurses doing the job.  

But primary health authorities decided doctors should focus on seeing to patients and instead instructed reception personnel at health centres to carry out the triaging process.  

In some health centres, patients are now simply asked to read a list of COVID-19 symptoms and confirm whether any apply to them.

This prompted MUMN president Paul Pace to issue directives to nurses in health centres, telling them to withhold non-essential services including taking blood.  He argued the triaging process should be done only by qualified medical staff - though the union has previously insisted that this should not be done by nurses.

Details of the new arrangements have not been announced yet. 

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