Battling loneliness
THE NUMBER of professionals working in the social work department of the Torrevieja health catchment area has been doubled in order to implement a new plan aimed at preventing loneliness.
The Valencia region health department reports that there are now eight professionals serving the unit, instead of the four that were available when the department reverted back into public hands, following the expiry of the Ribera Salud contract.
The increase in staff enables the department to focus its efforts to prevent loneliness and improve the support provided to vulnerable patients.
These professionals have been placed in five health centres within the catchment area – mental health units, sexual and reproductive health units, and Torrevieja university hospital, and are carrying out social interventions aimed at highlighting and preventing marginalisation that arises as a result of health problems.
Torrevieja health department manager, Pilar Santos said: “Attention to the socioSocial
health problems associated with situations of dependence, violence or abuse is fundamental for our department.
“We are linking our efforts with the prosecutor’s office, associations and municipalities to improve the accompanying conditions of our patients and their families and to prevent, to a large extent, situations of loneliness and abandonment.”
workers are part of primary and specialised healthcare teams and their work in relation to health is to defend the social rights of people using the health system.
The unit attends to more than 5,000 people each year, at different centres situated within the catchment area, including Torrevieja hospital.