Doctors in Malta have issued an ultimatum for the government and Mater Dei Hospital’s administration to resolve an internal dispute with phlebotomists. 

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses previously issued a directive to its members so that they limit the number of patients they see every day due to a lack of progress in a new sectoral agreement. 

The dispute led to young doctors stepping in to draw patient’s blood themselves. The doctor’s union has stepped in, expressing its frustration at the situation. 

Times of Malta spoke to Medical Association of Malta president Martin Balzan, who said that the issue must be solved. 

‘We’ve had enough of dangerous directives. We gave them a deadline and the management knows it. It is high time that management either acknowledges their claim or else goes to court.’ 

Balzan highlighted how it was the hospital management’s responsibility to ensure the safety of patients and that the hospital operates efficiently. 

Not all phlebotomists (medical professionals trained to draw blood) followed the directives but enough did so for this directive to have massive impact on the hospital’s operations. 

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Photo Source: Wikipedia, Training Direct