Mount Carmel psychiatric hospital patients were left in the dark and heat for more than four hours on Thursday night as the hospital’s generators failed to kick in during a power cut.
Staff were forced to work in pitch darkness to the sound of patients' screams, according to sources.
The power cut lasted between 7.30pm and 11.30pm.
The hospital has a series of generators servicing some of the wards but they failed to work when the power went off.
“Some patients were screaming, panicking and shouting. Nurses had to use their mobile phones to walk around. They had to give out the evening tablets by using mobile phone light.
"Air conditioners were not working, but the worst part is that this can be dangerous. How can you control a confused aggressive patient in pitch dark?” according to one source.
How can you control a confused aggressive patient in pitch dark
When contacted, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses confirmed that the generators failed to kick in. Over the years, the union had several disputes with government over the generators to provide back-up in case of power cuts.
A decade ago, a nationwide blackout led to the union requesting the installation of generators and since then a number have been installed in some wards.
In reply to questions sent by Times of Malta, the Health Ministry said that is has asked Mount Carmel Hospital’s administration to present an incident report to establish the facts leading to the reported fault and to ensure it is not repeated.
The ongoing heatwave, that started on July 16, has led to a series of power cuts across the island over the past five days.
Mount Carmel still in poor condition
Mount Carmel has long been in the headlines for its rundown state. In 2018, Health Minister Chris Fearne said a new mental health hospital adjacent to Mater Dei Hospital should be up and running by 2025.
That year, an auditor's report slammed the state of the pyschiatric hospital, highlighting shortcomings in practically every aspect of its operations, saying it is under-funded, poorly staffed, with poor relations between management and staff, and inadequate security.
Last year, the National Audit Office reported progress at Mount Carmel Hospital and in the mental health service, after recommendations it made in a strategic review in 2018.
In a follow-up report, the audit office said progress had been made in the implementation of half of its recommendations, including those considered as being the most critical. Among them was a call for improvements to the hospital's structure, safety, and ambiance, with refurbishment and structural works being undertaken on more than half of the hospital’s wards. Still, the office said it remained concerned by the state of the remaining wards which, since the 2018 report, had largely remained in poor condition.