– SATSE
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 5 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Nursing Union in the Canary Islands held a concentration on Friday at the Hospital Universitario de Canarias (HUC) to protest against the lack of staffing during the summer and cuts to personnel, which are reportedly impacting the health of professionals and the quality of care.
The union warns of an “insufficiency” of professionals, exacerbated by inadequate coverage for absences, permissions, and holidays, causing a “significant” burden on many services.
This situation forces nurses and physiotherapists to work under “increasingly complex” conditions, with staffing levels insufficient to adequately meet care demands.
Ultimately, the Union has determined that the current recruitment policy is “inadequate” to meet the hospital’s actual needs and cautions that the lack of replacements affects both the working conditions of the professionals and the quality of care provided to patients.
LIMITED RESOURCES
According to SATSE, maintaining units and services with “limited” human resources increases pressure on staff and hampers the delivery of “safe and quality” care. During the concentration, professionals demanded that all absences at the hospital, whether due to sick leave, permissions, reduced hours, or holidays, be covered effectively.
They also emphasised the urgent need to bolster nursing and physiotherapy staff to align with actual workloads and the healthcare needs of the population.
SATSE advocates that the public health system in the Canary Islands requires “effective planning” of human resources to anticipate periods of high demand and prevent professionals from having to continually manage structural staffing deficits. In this respect, the union calls for a strong commitment to strengthening staffing levels and improving the working conditions of healthcare workers.
CALL FOR DIALOGUE
The shortage of professionals affects not only those working daily at the hospital; it also has direct consequences on patient care. “A strong public health system requires adequate staffing, job stability, and responsible resource planning,” they note.
The Union demands that the health administration take immediate measures to ensure effective replacement of absences, reinforce those services experiencing significant coverage difficulties, and initiate a dialogue process with the union organisations to urgently address the situation at the HUC.
