In a spin over Torrevieja hospital
Regional government assures they will ‘put right all the things that have not worked properly in the past’
THE PROCESS which will see Torrevieja healthcare department brought back under the wing of the public healthcare system is causing controversy.
Regional councillor for health Ana Barceló officially notified Ribera Salud – the private company which runs the hospital and local healthcare department – in October that their contract would not be renewed.
Healthcare in the area, which has been run by Ribera Salud since 2006, is due to revert to public control in six months’ time.
However, the exact model which will be used to manage the hospital has not yet been revealed by the regional government.
This led to speculation in the regional Spanish press this week, which the local Green party (Los Verdes) have claimed is creating confusion.
And they called for ‘transparency, dialogue and greater speed’ from the regional government over the process.
According to the Greens, Ribera Salud chiefs have gone to the courts on two occasions to challenge rules
laid down by Valencia for the ‘reconversion’ of the health authority, which has caused delays and is ‘complicating the situation’.
“The situation on both sides of the fence is leading to unease amongst the people of Torrevieja,” they stated.
The Greens added that public healthcare was one of the pillars of our society and they supported the move to bring the area back under public control.
PP claims
Partido Popular (PP) deputy in the regional parliament, José Juan Zaplana claimed the regional government was ‘taking the workers in Torrevieja healthcare area into a dead-end street’.
He claimed that the management model being proposed by Valencia was ‘obscure’ and would lead to insecurity for the staff and ‘precariousness’ for patients.
Socialist party (PSOE) spokeswoman for health in the regional parliament, Carmen Martínez hit back by accusing Sr Zaplana of trying to manipulate public opinion and making ridiculous statements.
Sra Martínez said she had met with healthcare workers at Torrevieja hospital this week to explain to them that their terms and conditions would be respected.
“We are going to put right all the things that have not worked properly in the past,” she said. “We are continuing to work so that the instructions in the conversion rules are followed and in this way continue with the roadmap which we set out. We want everything to be done transparently and correctly.”
She noted that Sr Zaplana’s party had introduced different models of healthcare management to the region, which caused inequality between residents in different areas.
“The people who did that have nothing to offer in this debate and we intend to boost citizens’ rights by strengthening public healthcare,” she said. “Now is the time to recover public healthcare for everyone.”