The Orihuela Health Department is facing an unprecedented crisis due to an ongoing exodus of doctors.
According to the UGT union, this issue stems primarily from two factors. First, the department’s proximity to the Region of Murcia and the Vinalopó Health Department, where healthcare professionals are offered better working conditions and higher salaries.
Second, the failure of the Ministry to fulfil its promise of incentives following the declaration of this area as “difficult to cover” under Decree-Law 2/2024, approved on February 21.
Despite these regulations, professionals have yet to receive any compensation, and criteria for accessing these incentives remain undefined, according to UGT.
The situation is further exacerbated by the absence of essential medical services. Currently, the Orihuela Health Department has only one SAMU ambulance in operation, despite an agreement stipulating that at least two should be available.
Moreover, this single ambulance spends much of its time transporting cardiovascular patients to hospitals in Elche and Torrevieja due to the lack of specialized care in Orihuela. This leaves both medical staff and patients vulnerable in the event of emergencies.
The shortage of medical personnel is also affecting specialist care. A patient recently reported that when she attempted to schedule a gynaecological check-up at the Orihuela Specialist Centre, she was informed that the service was unavailable because the only gynaecologist had left.
She was advised to seek care at a private facility instead. Similarly, a few months ago, it was revealed that the department had no dermatologists, as all specialists had transferred to other centres.
On January 30, the Department of Health’s Staff Board publicly condemned the management of Minister of Health Marciano Gómez, declaring him persona non grata. Unions including SATSE, CCOO, UGT, and Intersindical Salut have criticised the worsening conditions within the health system, citing increased referrals to private healthcare, deteriorating working conditions for staff, and a lack of effective solutions to the growing backlog of consultations and extended waiting times.
They have also raised concerns over cuts to mental health services and the lack of transparency in managing surgical waiting lists.
