The Ministry of Health has finally given up its initial proposal to forcefully transfer medical staff to work in Medical centres and hospitals that have difficulty in recruiting staff, as is the case in Torrevieja and Alcoy. However, the Minister, Miguel Mínguez, has agreed to pay more money to those who voluntarily agree to travel to these establishments.
This was reflected in a draft decree that is being published with the support of trade unions including CC OO, UGT and the Intersindical, although the Medical Union itself abstained.
Doctors will receive and additional 5,000 euros a year with nurses receiving an extra 3,250 euros per year. Personnel in the categories C1 and C2, health technicians, management and service staff, will receive 2,000 and 1,500 euros each year, respectively.
In addition to receiving more money for working in these centres, staff will also receive other types of incentives, including the possibility of extending retirement beyond the legal age of 65.
The CSIF union, however, point out that they have not supported the project “because it is just one more temporary patch, which again responds to urgency due to the lack of foresight of the ministry,” said Dolly Prunés, president of CSIF Sanidad Comunidad Valenciana. “We consider that the incentives contained in the draft are insufficient while the list of the positions affected is still unknown.”
