•  ‘Replacement of 30 years old X-ray equipment budgeted with new state-of-the-art device for 2023’

A meeting has been held by the Department of Health of Torrevieja Management, the Councillor for Health Nieves Moreno, and the mayor of Pilar de la Horadada, José María Pérez Sánchez, surrounding the quality of care in the municipality.

The installation of a new X-ray machine, along with the dermatology, traumatology and ENT specialists returning to Pilar de la Horadada were on the agenda.

It was mooted the possibility of expansion by using the basement of the new Health Centre building, currently empty, and moving the emergency door to the old building in a bid to relieve the Health Centre footfall.

Also aired was the quotas of doctors, who have recently retired, having been assigned.

The Management explained to the municipal representatives the main problem they face is the lack of doctors – and the impossibility of filling the vacancies – citing they cannot find doctors who want to come to the area.

Lack of communication from the Management of the Department to the City Council was also on the meeting agenda, highlighting it has been sending emails and letters, to both the Ministry of Health and the Management being unanswered.

A proposal by Isabel González, new advisor to the Minister of Health in the Torrevieja health department, was the channelling of direct communication and transfer of information having been activated from the Hospital to the City Council affecting the centre’s health and offices of Pilar de la Horadada preventing it reoccurring.

The talks also discussed patients who were without a doctor – because of retirements – now having been reassigned with two doctors who have joined the permanent staff of Pilar de the Horadada.

Councillor for Health Nieves Moreno said: “Their is an urgent need for the specialists of dermatology, traumatology and otolaryngology that were lost, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, to be consulted again in Pilar de la Horadada.” The Management confirmed that these specialists will resume.

Moreno also said: “I ask for the replacement of the current 30 years old X-ray equipment, with the Management committed to budgeting a new state-of-the-art X-ray device for the 2023 budgets.”

The Management will also attend to the request of the Mayor of Pilar de la Horadada Jose Maria Perez Sanchez to use the basement of the new building, potentially housing the rehabilitation gym, consultations, or any other sanitary use.

The City Council, the municipal technicians and architects have been made available to the Management to design to study the possibilities.