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Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Malta (RATIFICATION: 1990)

Other comments on C149

Direct Request

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The Committee notes the Government’s succinct report, which contains no information in reply to the points raised in its previous comments. The Committee hopes that the next report will contain detailed information regarding the following issues.

Article 2(1) and (3) of the Convention. National policy concerning nursing services and nursing personnel. The Committee recalls its previous comments in which it requested the Government to outline the objectives and priorities of its policy concerning nursing services and to describe any plans, programmes or initiatives aimed at improving the quality of nursing care. In the absence of a Government’s reply on this point, the Committee reiterates its request for a comprehensive account on its national health-care policy, especially as regards measures to facilitate the effective utilization of nursing personnel in the country and to promote the fullest use of the qualifications of nursing personnel in the various health-care establishments.

In addition, the Committee had noted that, according to its annual report for 2006, the Department of Nursing Services Standards of the Ministry for Social Policy had completed a report entitled “Nurse Workforce Projections 2007–20” containing projections of the nursing workforce needed during that period. It requests the Government to provide a copy of the Nurse Workforce Projections, and to specify in this respect: (i) whether this document was prepared in consultation with the employers’ and workers’ organizations concerned; and (ii) what concrete measures are taken or envisaged in order to follow up on the findings of the report.

Article 2(2), in conjunction with Article 5(3). Shortage of nurses and settlement of disputes. The Committee notes that according to various sources, there was a long-standing problem of shortage of nursing staff which has become particularly acute since the opening of a new hospital and the extension of another. The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) in its Memorandum 2008–09 had indicated that the staff shortage causes major problems, including cancellation of vacation leaves, extension of working hours and overtime as well as stress and burnout. The MUMN added that the shortage of nurses was expected to worsen due to the low number of students graduating from the Institute of Health Care each year which hardly replaces the loss of staff mainly due to retirement or maternity reasons. More generally, the Committee had noted that the brain drain in the health sector was caused by an increasing number of medical doctors and nurses who migrate abroad for better wages, which in 2007 led the authorities to try to recruit English-speaking nurses from other EU countries. In addition, the understaffing in the nursing sector had given rise to important industrial action in autumn 2008, the dispute relating also to the payment of a meal allowance and to a number of changes in the nursing courses in order to attract more students to the profession. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the current situation concerning the shortage of nursing personnel and to elaborate on any practical measures taken in consultation with the workers’ organizations concerned in order to tackle effectively the root causes of the problem and to formulate sustainable solutions.

Article 3(1). Nursing education and training. The Committee had previously noted the information provided by the Government concerning the new diploma, degree and postgraduate courses offered by the University of Malta’s Institute of Health Care, which is the main academic institution providing basic nursing education, but also continuing professional development courses for registered nurses. It also noted the statistical information concerning the number of graduates in nursing, health sciences and other related specialized fields. The Committee requests the Government to provide up-to-date information in this respect.

Articles 5 and 6. Collective bargaining concerning employment and working conditions of nursing personnel. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide copies of all collective agreements currently in force concerning the employment and working conditions of nursing personnel in the public and the private sectors.

Article 7. Occupational safety and health of nursing personnel. The Committee requests once again the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged with a view to improving the protection of nursing personnel from infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS.