The Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs of the Government of Andalusia has assured this Thursday that it is working on “a plan B” with the Andalusian Council of Doctors and the Medical Union that contains “measures that make it possible not to close health centers this summer if we cannot mobilize the 369 Internal Resident Doctors (MIR)” who finish their training in September, since they began their training in that month, due to the pandemic. The hiring of these future MIRs is not, yet, legally possible.
“We are going to use all the resources at our disposal to avoid reaching the extreme of closing health centers this summer, but it is true that we find ourselves in a very exceptional situation.” This has been assured by sources from Catalina García’s department to Europa Press.
The unions UGT, CCOO, Satse and CSIF have attacked this Thursday against the statements of the counselor, who this Wednesday demanded “solutions” from the Minister of Health, Mónica García, in the face of the “serious problem of deficit” of doctors for this summer. “There are communities, such as the Basque Country and Catalonia, that are closing health centers. We want to keep them open, but we are facing a very difficult situation,” García said.
The union centers have regretted these words, which they attribute to the “improvisation” of the Board, while criticizing the “excuses” given in the face of a matter that is the “responsibility” of the Ministry.
Andalusia does not cover all vacancies in Resident Internal Medicine (MIR). 39 of the 434 places in the last call were free in Andalusia. The applicants, who have already completed their degree in Medicine and want to begin training in the Andalusian Health Service (SAS), refuse to do so in the specialty where they are most needed – family doctor – because of the “work situation” to which they are assigned. they have to face, according to the testimonies collected for this report.
In recent months, it has also dispensed with most of the toilets incorporated at the time as reinforcements to face the Covid-19 pandemic. Until May 31, there were about 7,000 of the initial 20,000, whose contracts were paid for by the State, and who have been chaining temporary contracts since then. Now, some 2,300 (800 of them doctors) will have six-month contracts (and not for one year, as initially announced by the Ministry of Health), and another 3,000 will have contracts until September. The rest may be called to make substitutions or be included in the summer plan, as planned at least until a week ago, before the ministry demanded more resources from the Ministry.
The Ministry of Health assured this Wednesday that it is working to implement mechanisms that facilitate the mobility of MIR doctors in summer. The lack of doctors in the autonomous communities is an issue that was debated at the Interterritorial Health Council that was held this Wednesday.
The Ministry defends its figures
The Ministry has explained that the impossibility of having the MIR this summer is compounded by the approximately 500 places in Primary Care that Andalusia does not have covered and the 489 doctors who will retire in 2024, the department headed by Catalina García has pointed out.
Given the criticism from the unions of the “intolerable working conditions” of health personnel, the ministry has explained that the 5,557 professionals of the old covid reinforcements as well as personnel for the management of technological equipment have contracts since June 1. The others will move on to the needs of the system, such as the summer plan and sick leave, among other issues.
According to the figures offered today by Health, Andalusia has increased the number of Resident Internal Specialist (EIR) positions by 38% since 2018, going from 1,347 to 1,860 in 2024. “Today, after MIR training, 90% stay in Andalusia. Of the doctors, in 2018 50% did so,” says the department headed by Catalina García, who also insists that her salary conditions have improved.
Criticism of the unions
For the unions, the situation is due to the Andalusian Government’s lack of foresight. From UGT, Antonio Macías has accused the department of being “responsible for the bad environment in the centers and services, where professionals are overwhelmed and patients are angry. Now the counselor comes saying that they are going to have to close centers? Well of course yes. This is what they have been doing for a long time, preparing the environment for it. If before the counselor put stones in the way, now she is throwing them directly at the professionals. It is unfortunate to hear those who cut back complain about having to close centers or services. Is incredible”.
On behalf of CCOO, Luis González has asked the Board that “if it is not capable of taking note of its inability to leave room for others who do it better”, alluding at this point to the fact that health responsibilities are transferred to the autonomous communities. “It is intolerable that they are throwing the ball at each other,” he stated, while recalling that “if today we do not have enough specialists it is because it was a PP Government that reduced the MIR positions.”
Likewise, he has alluded to the “intolerable” working conditions offered to Andalusian doctors. “Fulfill your duties, manage and leave the political dispute with the Government of Spain for another time,” González stated. Victorino Girela, from CSIF Andalucía, has stated along the same lines that “we are not attractive for professionals from abroad to come” nor for those from here to stay.
“Significant precariousness”
“We have known for a long time that the situation in Andalusia is deficient and the question is why here in Andalusia salaries are lower than those of other autonomous communities,” Girela reflected. In fact, she has insisted, “we have a situation of significant precariousness. Let’s not fool ourselves”. In relation to the possible closure of health centers in summer, the CSFI union leader has pointed out that “there is a clear responsibility that the counselor must assume. It is not new. These excuses are not valid for us. Centers being closed has been happening for a long time. In 2024, it may become more acute but the responsibility lies totally and absolutely with the counselor, who has transferred the powers.”
Finally, Manuel Cansino, from Satse, stressed that the closure of health centers “is not new in Andalusia. This does not take the Administration by surprise.” “This Government in terms of health works based on improvisation. The counselor justifies the lack of MIR but does not give explanations for the lack of replacements for nurses and physiotherapists, also taking into account that they have stopped hiring 5,000 temporary professionals – Covid reinforcements – and that around 2,000 are from these two categories ”, he added.