‘This Is A Frame-Up’: Union Slams Suspension Of St Vincent De Paul Nurse After Resident Disappears
The Malta Union for Midwives and Nurses has hit out at the suspension of a St Vincent de Paul nurse following resident Karmenu Fino’s disappearance as a case of a frame-up.
“This is a clear case of a frame-up,” MUMN president Paul Pace told the media during a press conference.
“Throughout the inquiry, at no point was the nurse in question called forward to recount his version of events,” Pace explained.
Pace heavily criticised the fact that the duty nurse, Rhys Xuereb, ended up suspended from his position – but was never consulted throughout the inquiry.
“Apart from that, he was suspended, without ever being accused by the Public Service Commission, or from the Police,” he stressed.
“When we asked for the inquiry document, it was not even provided to us. And within the report, the current problems at St Vincent de Paul were very clearly illustrated.”
He made reference to findings within the inquiry that point toward issues – such as the fact that Fino was supposed to be kept in a closed ward due to his dementia, and the fact that the ward did not even have a closed door.
“We’ve never seen a suspension like this happen,” he said.
This comes after the recently published independent inquiry placed the blame on the staff working the shift the night Fino went missing, as well as the security team, with the reliever nurse on shift being suspended.
83-year-old Carmel Fino went missing from St Vincent de Paul on 28th June and has still not been found.
What do you make of the union’s comments?
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