The Gibraltar Health Authority would like to reassure and congratulate all those that will complete their Registered Nurse training this year, following the untrue assertions put by Together Gibraltar.
Once student nurses have completed their training and have confirmation of their results, they are required to register with the Gibraltar Nursing Registration Board to practice as qualified registered nursing staff. While they are waiting to complete this process, they will continue to be employed in their existing roles.
Apart from it being illegal, frankly it would be irresponsible in terms of patient safety to employ someone as a registered clinician before they formally have confirmation they have successfully completed their training and are registered to practice. Regulation of qualified clinical staff is a basic requirement and safeguard for patients in all first world healthcare systems.
All Gibraltarian nationals that qualify this year will be offered permanent contracts with the GHA. Staff will be allocated to services based on a combination of the needs of the organisation and their preferences.
The Minister for Health, the Hon Albert Isola, said: ‘Whilst it’s clear that they’re getting desperate, it’s disappointing that Together Gibraltar have chosen to use the careers of Gibraltar’s future nurses as a vessel for spreading disinformation for the sake of seeming relevant just as the news broke that two of their most popular candidates have defected to another party. This Government is fundamentally committed to workers and this is embedded in our core ethos. We have demonstrated this throughout our time in office, not least throughout the pandemic through the provision of BEAT payments to EVERY SINGLE GIBRALTAR WORKER, and our commitment to the GHA’s future nurses is no different but the GHA must follow robust due process to ensure the highest levels of care provision. Once again, Together Gibraltar have simply put to paper that they have no record and no plan.’
ENDS
