SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 29th May. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Department of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Children, and Families will be adding new positions for individuals requiring assistance, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities on all the Canary Islands. “The Government of the Canary Islands is currently finalizing the sixth additional agreement to the Canary Islands placement/day contract, in collaboration with the island councils, which will involve an expansion of positions,” stated the councillor, Candelaria Delgado, during a parliamentary committee in response to the request for 72 positions from the Gran Canaria Island Council to cater to dependent individuals over the age of 21.
According to the councillor, the existing fifth addendum was signed at the end of the previous year and is effective until 31st December 2024. “To enhance resources, we are presently in discussions with the councils to finalise the sixth addendum, which will result in an increase of 15.58 million Euros, where 11.46 million will be provided by the Canary Islands Government and 4.12 million Euros by the island councils,” she added.
Specifically, on Gran Canaria island, this sixth addendum will permit the inclusion of 887 new positions for individuals with disabilities, dependents, or the elderly, encompassing spots in day centres, elderly care centres, telecare services, and residential facilities.
The councillor emphasised that the execution of this addendum “is reliant not only on the Canary Islands Government, in close collaboration with the Gran Canaria Island Council, but also on the involvement and financial support from the Institute of Seniors and Social Services (Imserso) to this Autonomous Community in terms of the established minimum and agreed levels, which involves a multi-year increase in expenditure for the total number of positions and councils.”
In this aspect, she announced that the Canarian Administration has already received, as of this week, the confirmed and certified funding from the State to provide the necessary credit to implement this new addendum, therefore, the only pending action would be the allocation of credit by the Treasury Department, which will be conducted promptly to allow the signing of this sixth addendum.
Regarding the request from the Gran Canaria Island Council, Delgado clarified that it has already been relayed to this entity, through monitoring committees, that the forthcoming sixth addendum will be established with all councils “and once the requisite procedures are completed, it will be signed.”
Additionally, as mentioned by Delgado, apart from the 72 positions requested, the Gran Canaria Island Council seeks to include in the new agreement 416 spots for residential care for the elderly and 97 spots for residential care for individuals with disabilities, totaling 513 spots, coupled with the incorporation of 224 spots in day care centres (149 spots for elderly care and 75 for individuals with disabilities) and 150 telecare positions. In total, 887 new positions solely for Gran Canaria island.
In addition to these new resources, the Gran Canaria Island Council is also requesting a total of 44,640 hours for the Personal Autonomy Promotion service and 80,000 hours for the Home Care service.
