SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE Jan. 16 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The new palliative care unit at the Hospital del Sur de Tenerife, which commenced operations at the end of December, is anticipated to offer healthcare services to over a thousand patients annually, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health.
The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo; the Minister of Health, Esther Monzón; and the president of the Cabildo of Tenerife, Rosa Dávila, toured the facilities this Wednesday.
The directors of Primary Care and the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital, Jesús Delgado and Roberto Gómez Pescoso, also participated in the visit.
This unit signifies a significant enhancement for patients necessitating palliative care, as they can receive treatment within their primary health zone instead of travelling to Ofra Hospital, the designated centre for this specialty, which is linked to La Candelaria Hospital.
“We are continuing to progress in our pledge to prioritise the patient within the system, which is particularly crucial during their final days, ensuring they are supported by their loved ones and cared for by professionals dedicated to alleviating pain and distress,” noted Fernando Clavijo, president of the Canary Islands.
Situated on the first floor of the facility, the service includes a hospitalisation area with eight beds for patient admissions and a consultation area comprising three offices to streamline the evaluation and monitoring of patients. As the president of the Cabildo remarked, this “humanises healthcare and advances our service by offering home care, which has already commenced in Guía de Isora, Santiago del Teide, and Adeje.”
The Minister of Health has indicated that since its inception, this unit has treated fourteen patients who were hospitalised and twenty-one through consultations.
Presently, the unit employs two palliative care physicians responsible for attending to patients in the ward, as well as those accessing the emergency department. Additionally, around twenty professionals, including nurses, assistants, and security personnel, are engaged in providing care within the unit.
Consequently, it is anticipated that the unit will deliver hospital services to an average of 164 patients annually, alongside 1,095 users who will benefit from consultations in the southern region of the island.
Monzón highlighted the collaborative efforts with the Pro Hospital del Sur and We are not second initiatives, which have witnessed this proposal evolve into a reality a year after it was initially raised.
PALLIATIVE CARE UNIT AT OFRA HOSPITAL
In 2024, the Palliative Care unit at Hospital de Ofra recorded 8,827 consultations from patients across all primary health zones in Tenerife and treated 977 individuals from the southern part of Tenerife. Thus, care provided at Hospital del Sur “will ease the current overload faced by the Santa Cruz de Tenerife centre,” according to Miguel Ángel Benítez, head of the unit.
Furthermore, the Primary Care Management of Tenerife has been delivering home care to patients with oncological conditions undergoing palliative treatment for over three months, in collaboration with La Candelaria Hospital. This initiative began on October 1 in the Basic Health Zones (ZBS) of Guía de Isora and Santiago del Teide, covering an assigned population of 28,566 adults.
The unit has recently broadened its service area to include Adeje, which consists of the Adeje Health Centre and the Armeñime Peripheral Clinic, catering to a population of 44,130 users.
To date, professionals have provided care at home for twelve individuals needing palliative services.
THE HOSPITAL DEL SUR ATTENDED 128,087 CONSULTATIONS IN 2024
Among its various offerings, the hospital features a hospitalisation wing, emergency services, pharmacy services, a consultation area with 18 specialties, and a surgical section with four operating theatres dedicated to major outpatient procedures.
Additionally, there exists a radiology department for conducting diagnostic tests, including CT scans and MRIs, a laboratory open 24 hours, an oncology day hospital, and a multipurpose area, alongside rehabilitation services, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy for patients requiring hospital admission.
Notably, during 2024, the Hospital del Sur de Tenerife attended to 128,087 consultations, performed 3,870 surgical procedures, and administered 3,793 treatments in day hospitals. Furthermore, 59,564 patients received attention in the Emergency Department, and 1,071 hospital admissions were registered.
