Health centres to open until 19.00
The measure is orientated towards cities and tourism hotspots
A TOTAL of 77 health centres around the Valencia region will open until 19.00 on Mondays to Thursdays in order to ‘attend to the necessities of the people’.
Councillor for health Ana Barceló noted that the timetable would give more options to residents and allow them to see a GP during the afternoon and early evening. At the same time she said the measure would have to ‘respect the holidays of healthcare professionals’ and would be carried out ‘according to the necessities of each healthcare department’.
Large towns and cities have more healthcare professionals and are in a better position to open later, she added.
This includes areas which have large influxes of tourists and additional medics to cope with the increase in population.
However, in Alicante province the measure has been limited to three areas.
Seven health centres run by Alicante general hospital have been included – Benalúa, Campoamor, Florida, Parque lo Morant, San Blas, San Vicent del Raspeig I y San Vicent del Raspeig II; along with Alicante-San Juan. In Elche three health centres run by the general hospital – Altabix, El Raval and San Fermín – will open late.
Additionally, nine health centres in the Elda area have been included – Elda Acacias, Elda Marina Española, Monóvar, Petrer I, Petrer II, Sax, Villena I, Villena II and Novelda. In Valencia province it includes four health centres in La Ribera (Catadau, Alzira II, Cullera and Sueca); five in Gandia (Gandia Beniopa, Gandia Corea, Gandia Grau, Oliva and Tavernes de Valldigna); and Llíria.
Torrevieja
Following the announcement, the private healthcare company which runs Torrevieja healthcare area, Ribera Salud, put out a press release stating that they have health centres that operate until 21.00 ‘all year round’. This allows them to give a ‘better service’ and have fewer people in waiting rooms.
A spokeswoman stated that the health centres of La Mata, Rojales II, El Acequión, Pilar de la Horadada, Orihuela Costa, La Siesta/San Luís, Guardamar del Segura, Rojales, Patricio Pérez, San Miguel de Salinas and La Loma are open from 08.00 to 21.00. She added that doctors can also be consulted online via their YOsalud webpage, ‘thus avoiding unnecessary journeys’.
Back-up staff
Sra Barceló reminded that additional staff have been taken on for the summer period to cope with the increase in population and cover the holidays of healthcare professionals.
They will also take part in the campaign against the coronavirus pandemic and help with the ‘return to normality’ following the end of the state of emergency.