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HEALTH CASH CRISIS CAUSES HOSPITAL CUTS

The management of Torrevieja hospital has advised some 1,100 workers at the site that they cannot meet their wage bill, due to the current economical situation. They are also considering the possibility of redundancies and not renewing some contracts, …

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Torrevieja Hospital in Crisis

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The management of Torrevieja hospital has advised some 1,100 workers at the site that they cannot meet their wage bill, due to the current economical situation. They are also considering the possibility of redundancies and not renewing some contracts, in order to offer a temporary lifeline for the hospital.

The problem reportedly stems from the insistence of the Spanish national government to withdraw subsidised healthcare for certain groups of society, which has resulted in 15,000 people now being denied treatment under the scheme, and subsequently not being able to afford their own medical treatments alone, which has resulted in a considerable reduction in revenue generated at the hospital.

Each card is essentially valued at around 600 euro per year to the hospital, and the 15,000 would total some 9,000,000 euro. In early 2007, when some might consider the peak of usage was, the department that serves health centres in Torrevieja, Rojales, San Miguel de Salinas, San Fulgencio, Guardamar del Segura, Pilar de la Horadada, Los Montesinos and Orihuela Costa, had more than 205,000 registered health card users. Prior to the latest move to withdraw healthcare to those classed as “paperless”, or illegal, amongst other groups, there were 170,000 card holders.

The nine million euro reduction in revenue has also had an effect on the cash flow at the hospital, which in turn has delayed payments to suppliers. In April 2012, the debt to suppliers stood at 29 million euro.

When asked about the situation, the management team assured workers that they are continuing with open dialogue to try to find ways of minimising the impact of the financial shortcomings, with the main trade unions, SATSE and CCOO, stating their willingness to negotiate, as long as management provide a clear commitment to renew contracts that expire in the coming months.

Other unions, the UGT and CSIF, have yet to decide on their course of action, but the USAE, who represent “auxiliary workers”, has categorically declined to negotiate on conditions and salaries for their members.

This crisis comes amidst further cuts in healthcare. On the 1st of March, the 33,000 residents of the Orihuela Costa were set to lose overnight ambulance cover, having to rely on the city of Orihuela and Torrevieja to fill the gaps, a situation which the mayor of the municipality, Monserrate Guillén, vowed to force that, “in no case”, should there be a reduction or removal in ambulance cover on the coast.

In Callosa de Segura, 40,000 residents lost their ambulance was withdrawn on the same date, with Callos, Cox, Redován, Rafal and Granja now also having to rely on Orihuela, Almoradí and Torrevieja, the only locations where overnight ambulances currently remain in service, adding further delays to help at the time when life could quite literally be hanging in the balance.

Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/38030/

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