Health will make 37,320 hires to cover the vacations of its professionals

The Government Council has been informed about the planning of activity and coverage in Primary and Hospital Care for summer 2024 by the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) of the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs. Thus, the Summer 2024 Plan contemplates 37,320 hires authorized by the SAS to cover the vacations of health professionals, which is 3.15% more than last year (36,179) and 18% more than in 2018 (31,673). . Of these contracts, in addition, 32,336 will be allocated to Hospital Care and 4,984 to Primary Care.

Likewise, the budget allocated by the SAS for hiring personnel during the summer has also increased this year. In total there will be 144 million euros, which implies 6.6% more than what was planned for 2023 (135.1 million) and 30% more than what was allocated in 2018 (111 million).

The volume of contracts offered is similar to that of the previous year and aims to ensure that the SAS Vacation Plan has the necessary resources to cover the needs of the centers and guarantee health care. The hiring period began on June 17 and will last until June 29, to cover the vacations of health personnel from July 1 to October 31. In this sense, the Andalusian Government recognizes and appreciates the commitment and effort of the professionals of the public health system of Andalusia, without whom the different health care plans at the end of the year would be impossible.

Month to month

It is expected that 1,090 hires will be made in June, 13,845 in July, 12,053 in August, 8,698 in September and 1,183 in October. In total, 1,141 more hires than in 2023 and 5,647 more than in 2018. By category, there are 2,122 hires for doctors, 12,693 for nurses, 12,044 for TCAE and other technicians and 10,461 hires for management, maintenance or hospitality personnel.

By provinces

In Almería, 4,255 hires will be made, 3,450 for Hospital Care and 805 for Primary Care; in Cádiz, 6,182, of which 5,498 in hospitals and 684 in Primary; in Córdoba, a total of 3,062, 2,795 in hospitals and 267 in Primary; in Granada, 4,748, of which 4,200 in Hospital Care and 548 in Primary Care; Huelva, 3,043, of them 2,240 in hospitals and 803 in health centers and offices; Jaén, 2,817, of which 2,530 in hospitals and 287 in Primary; in Malaga, 5,910, a total of 5,150 in hospitals and 759 in Primary; and Seville, 7,303, of which 6,473 in Hospital Care and 830 hires in Primary Care.

Like last year, these hirings have been communicated to union organizations, professional associations and universities, which have been asked to collaborate in disseminating them with the aim of attracting the largest possible number of professionals. Unlike 2022, when contracts had a maximum duration of one month, three types of contracts will be offered for this contract offer: one of three months full-time; another for two months full-time and the last one for one month full-time.

Primary Care

The central objective of the reorganization of the activity of Primary Care centers during the summer period is to ensure health care for citizens with the highest level of quality and efficiency. To do this, healthcare resources must be adjusted to the demand generated by the population movements that take place in Andalusia between July and September, as well as optimizing the organization of healthcare to allow staff to enjoy statutory permits and to allow the performance of the necessary works and reforms of the Primary Care centers that have been previously planned.

Thus, the SAS will keep the 1,514 Primary Care centers in Andalusia in operation this summer. Of them, 390 will open in the afternoon, from 3 to 8 p.m., five more centers than in 2023. Likewise, of these, 88 are Basic Primary Care Teams (EBAP) and 358 are Primary Care Emergency Services (SUAP). . In addition, some health centers also have SUAP.

The number of professionals that have been planned to reinforce Primary Care centers in coastal areas during the summer period is 251. In addition, there will be a total of 14 doctors and nurses to reinforce Operation Paso del Estrecho 2024 in the Almería Health District and the Campo de Gibraltar.

Hospital care

On the other hand, hospital programming during the summer months focuses on the adaptation of available beds to hospital occupancy and the surgical programming planned in each center. These forecasts are based on historical records of healthcare demand in the most recent summer period and always involve the activation of any additional resources necessary, in the event that the expected demand is exceeded.

During the months of January to May 2024, 96.2% of the installed beds have been available (15,115 in total). The average number of functional beds during the summer months is expected to be around 85.5% of those available from January to May. According to the closing data of the 2023 Summer Plan, during the months of July, August and September occupancy was 64.65% (8,700 in total). The beds available for this summer period 2024, approximately 13,000, are considered sufficient for the expected activity. Likewise, another 2,186 beds will be kept in reserve in case there is a peak in demand in Andalusian hospitals.

The availability of operating rooms in summer 2024 will be at a similar level to that of the summer periods of 2022 and 2023, standing at 80% of the usual availability during the rest of the year. The forecast is to achieve care production in the different areas similar to that of the summer of 2023. Reaching the performance of 76,500 interventions, 2,932,000 diagnostic tests and 3,040,000 outpatient consultations. This means a forecast of 2,500 more operations than in 2018, 430,000 more outpatient consultations and 800,000 more diagnostic tests than six years ago.

Improved accessibility

To prepare the Summer 2024 Plan, the SAS has implemented different measures to improve accessibility to health care during the summer period. The first of them has been a Loyalty Plan aimed at residents who finish their training this year in September, instead of in May. The objective is to try to attract the greatest number of professionals who complete their residency in Andalusia this year for the centers with the greatest needs. For this reason, all offers have been made at the same time in those centers that have unfilled positions due to the absence of candidates.

Along these lines, this year there is the exceptional circumstance of the completion of the residents on two different dates: some in May and others in September, so two processes will be carried out: one already completed, in May, and another that It will take place in the first week of July for those who finish in September.

The second of them is to provide residents who plan to complete an external rotation in September, especially in areas with difficult and very difficult coverage, with an exceptional financial supplement. In both measures, it is an opportunity for MIRs, since it allows them to finish their training in the center and service where the contract is offered, getting to know their next workplace and their colleagues.

The third is remuneration to all those professionals who volunteer to carry out an extraordinary activity. Therefore, professionals who wish to do so will be able to continue providing care continuities and, in addition, overtime hours will be paid during the summer in Primary Care.

Likewise, it is noteworthy that the coverage of the Summer Plan is not set in stone. The SAS monitors activity up to the minute in both public hospitals and primary care centers and, in the event of any peak in demand, personnel and devices are available to deal with an unexpected situation.