Alex Trelinski
TORREVIEJA Hospital and the local health department serving 180,000 people will return to public management on October 15.
The Valencian Superior Court has rejected a bid from the current private manager, Ribera Salud, to suspend the change over what it claimed was a ‘flawed’ process.
The Valencian government last year gave Ribera Salud a one-year notice that its contract, held since 2006, would not be renewed.
Ribera currently manages Torrevieja Hospital and medical centres in Torrevieja, Guardamar del Segura, Rojales, Pilar de la Horadada, the Orihuela Costa, San Fulgencio, Benijofar, Formentera del Segura, San Miguel de Salinas and Los Montesinos.
Jose Perez will be in charge of running Torrevieja’s new publicly-administered health department.
“Health care in the area must be prioritised on the grounds of need and not other factors like making profits,” said Perez.
Staff at Torrevieja Hospital have staged demonstrations over concerns about how the new service will work and whether there will be job losses after the managerial change.
Claims have been made that waiting times for hospital operations will increase, with Torrevieja currently having the shortest waiting lists in the Valencian Community.
Ribera Salud had also pledged big investments including €6 million for a second health centre for the Orihuela Costa.
READ MORE QUESTION MARK OVER NEW €6 MILLION HEALTH CENTRE FOR THE ORIHUELA COSTA
WARNING OF LONGER TORREVIEJA HOSPITAL WAITING LISTS TO GET AN OPERATION
