Osakidetza will cut hours and close some health centers in the summer
These changes will affect 37% of the centers. The ELA and CCOO unions have criticized the summer planning. They have ensured that Osakidetza's structural problems "remain there" and have called for a negotiation process to "address real solutions."
A health center in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Osakidetza announced on Wednesday that in the summer months it will close some primary care centers or reduce hours. The decision will affect 37% of health centers. The unions have criticized the measure.
In announcing the summer planning, the Health Service has reported that it has tried to make as few time adjustments and closure of resources as possible, and as a novelty it will provide up-to-date information on the operating hours of primary health care centres on its website.
These time adjustments have started in some centres in June and will continue until September. In most cases, the main change is that the hours of care will be from 8:00 to 17:00 and not until 20:00.
In addition, a number of health centres will be closed on time on days off. In general, the closure will affect small clinics that open a few hours one day a week.
Outside opening hours, Osakidetza recalls that health care will be guaranteed at the Points of Continuous Care (PAC) and Emergency Services.
The Department of Health has justified these adjustments because "the presence of respiratory diseases decreases" during the summer and, "as a result, the demand for assistance tends to decrease".
Criticism from trade unions
After learning of the summer planning, the ELA unionhas denounced that these "direct cuts" in primary care show that the structural problems in Osakidetza "persist." It has denounced that "no appropriate measures have been taken" and that the Department of Health has made "propaganda about improvements" in Osakidetza.
It also recalls that the current temporary rate is 58 per cent and affects 27,000 workers. According to the union, Osakidetza has a total of 1,641 unfilled places, of which 161 are for nursing staff and 418 for medical places in different specialties.
CCOO, for its part, has condemned the "clearly retrograde" measures that directly affect citizens and has urged the Department of Health to open a negotiation process to address real solutions, attract and loyalty professionals, ensure care coverage and strengthen primary care.
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