Updated 10.10am with ministry response

Elderly residents at the government’s St Vincent de Paul Residence were ordered not to leave their wards, go for a walk or attend Mass unless accompanied by someone else, under security measures that were immediately blocked by the nurses’ union which called them “inhumane”.

The raft of new measures were meant to step up security after the disappearance of an 83-year-old man from the home for the elderly 10 days ago and an apparent suicide attempt by another resident a few days later.

St Vincent de Paul was registered as a hospital not a prison- MUMN president Paul Pace

In a memo sent to all staff, senior management said that to “escalate security”, residents were not to be allowed out of their wards, or even outside to smoke a cigarette, unless accompanied.

Doors were to be kept closed at all times

Doors were to be kept closed at all times and only opened by staff on duty. Stairwells and lifts had to remain inaccessible to unattended residents.

All staff were instructed to ensure that the nursing station was manned at all times, including during the night.

The management warned that disciplinary action would be taken against staff should there be any incidents resulting through negligence.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses immediately told its members to ignore the instructions.

“St Vincent de Paul was registered as a hospital not a prison,” MUMN president Paul Pace said in a communication to all members.

The members were nurses not guards, he said, describing the instructions as “inhumane” to residents.

“Nurses cannot be held responsible if any resident leaves the ward since nurses are not door attendants. Shifting the onus of responsibility on nurses is illegal since medical and non-medical staff can enter and leave any open ward and do not lock the doors behind them,” he said.

Sources said the ministry for active ageing issued the instructions.

Alleged sightings prove negative

The memo was issued following the disappearance of resident Charlie Fino, who was last seen exiting St Vincent de Paul’s main gate at around 3am on June 28. He has been missing since and a spokesperson for the police confirmed yesterday that they were still actively searching for him.

The spokesperson said there had been a number of alleged sightings but, when investigated, the searches resulted negative.

Fino’s family believe their relative might be sheltering from the blistering heat in nearby fields.

They have appealed to owners of land in Luqa, Santa Luċija, Kirkop, Qormi, Gudja, Mqabba, Qrendi, Safi and his hometown Żurrieq to check the structures in their private fields and properties in case he is taking refuge there.

The police last week released a grab from CCTV footage showing Fino walking in Luqa, close to the home for the elderly, on the night he went missing. He was wearing a light blue t-shirt and dark bermudas.

The increased security came after another elderly resident fell out of a bathroom window in an apparent suicide attempt. She was critically injured.

A retired judge is leading an internal inquiry seeking to establish the facts and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from taking place in the future.

In a response to Times of Malta after the story was published on Friday, the ministry said addressing and installing safety measures was an ongoing concern. 

It said requests for enhanced CCTV monitoring are with the data protection commission, a tender for heightened security services is at the evaluation stage and there are discussions with the Civil Protection Department regarding enhanced fire safety. 

As well as an internal inquiry and police investigations, the management has requested an independent audit of every security and safety aspect of the care home. 

In the meantime "mitigation measures in the short-term" are being explored by management, the ministry said.

"The incidents have challenged the concept of the open wards and we cannot be blind to this reality," it added.

"The safety of every resident is of utmost importance."

PN reacts

In a statement on Friday evening, the Nationalist Party said the government is not treating residents with dignity.

"Once again it seems that the union's, as well as the Opposition's appeals, have fallen on deaf ears. Both the Health and Elderly ministers have washed their hands of the situation,

"The elderly and staff deserve better," the PN said.