Nurses and Midwives will see promotions which would not require them to stop working with patients and undertake management positions, a new Sectorial agreement signed today between the Malta Union for Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) and the Ministry of Health, the Elderly and Community Care read.

Minister Joe Cassar expressed the importance of nurses and midwives in the country’s Healthcare system, emphasising the need for an increase in quality. The agreement will see faster and more frequent promotions, particularly for those who have a Masters in the subject. “The aim is to ensure a more qualified Healthcare workforce,” the Minister argued. The agreement will see two streams of promotions, one which leads into management, whilst another will ensure that those nurses and midwives remain working in the wards and with patients.

In addition, a competency and evaluation framework has been introduced, which will recognise those nurses and midwives more deserving of promotions in order to see them rise through the ranks more quickly.

President of the MUMN Paul Pace described an agreement which was signed five years ago, explaining that it increased the number of nurses on the island and said; “these are no unemployed nurses left on the island”. This agreement, he explained, will ensure that patients receive the best quality service possible.