Medical centre extension opens
New section is connected to the older building
AFTER seven weeks of building works, the newly extended and renovated medical centre in La Marina urbanisation, San Fulgencio was inaugurated on Monday.
Although the centre remained open throughout the process, despite some disruption during which patients had to wait in a tent outside, it is now more than twice as big with an extra 182 square metres having been added to the existing 169m2.
Mayor José Sampere explained that the extension is connected with the older part so that all of the primary attention services can be provided under one roof.
Health councillor David Vives said the centre used to have just two consultation offices and a nursing room, staffed by three doctors and two nurses.
“On many occasions this caused disorganisation and appointments being delayed and moved to the afternoons, causing annoyance for users,” he said.
The centre now has an extra office, nursing consultation office and paediatrics room.
“These improvements will enable much more thorough and personalised care to be provided to patients, and also medical personnel will be able do their professional work better,” added Sr Vives.
The mayor said the council is very happy that residents of this area will ‘finally get the service they deserve, with quality installations that are suitable and adapted to the population’.
The project was financed with €100,000 from the regional health department, to which the council allocated an additional €69,000.
Other new features include a staff room and changing room, storage, a cleaning closet and a waste storage area, while the toilets and the waiting room have been renovated, said public councillor for works and services Francsico Molero.
The design integrates all the new elements into the existing building and the surroundings, and it complies with all hygiene, health and safety legislation, with security protocol against any kind of adverse weather, he noted.
Additional personnel will be designated to the centre according to the needs, said medical director for the Torrevieja hospital catchment area, Hipólito Caro, who also thanked the council for their collaboration.
Local resident Ian Hale reported that he had used the centre on Tuesday and it was ‘very, very good’.
The medical centre is on Calle Amsterdam and opens from 08.00 to 21.00, and appointments and information can be obtained by calling 96 572 16 00.
VILLAJOYOSA’S new video surveillance system for the town’s historical centre is now up and running.
The investment will increase security in the area, as well as controlling vehicle access, according to the council.
This system will assist the local police in their surveillance and service to the general public, and will allow officers to check that vehicles accessing the historic centre are compliant with the new ordinance in force limiting access to residents and authorised suppliers only. The historical centre’s residents’ association had explained their concerns about safety in the neighbourhood to the council and members were involved in the drafting of the current regulations for the circulation of vehicles in the old town.
Mayor Andreu Verdú, the councillor for public safety and traffic Isabel Perona, local police chief José Álvarez, accompanied by other officers and representatives from the historical centre’s residents association were able to see firsthand how the new video surveillance system worked.
New local police station
During the visit to see the system up and running, those present took the opportunity to check out the current state of the facilities that will soon house a new local police station in the same area, which will allow for improved attention to citizens and provide a rapid response by the local police in the historical centre.
The CCTV system and the upcoming opening of this new police station represent an important step forward in making Villajoyosa a better and safer tourist destination, as well as a major step towards the recovery of the historical centre, according to the council.
The mayor explained that the aim of the council and residents’ association is ‘to ensure the safety, conservation and
care of the historical centre of the municipality’. The council leader took the opportunity to thank the association for its collaboration with them in this common goal.
Councillor for public safety, Isabel Perona welcomed the launch of this police service and reminded residents of the
historic quarter that the traffic ordinance prohibiting the circulation of vehicles in the area ‘is already in force’ and that they can resolve any doubts and setbacks that may arise by emailing accesocentro@villajoyosa.com