Canary Islands Health Department Faces Scrutiny Over Patient Transfers to Private Centres
Unlawful Transfers of Patients
The Canary Islands Health Department has been transferring patients who have received medical discharge but lack housing alternatives to transitional socio-sanitary centres for years, without ever putting this service out to tender. This practice has been highlighted in two recent opinions from the Consultative Council of the Canary Islands, which endorse the payment of €89,741.61 to two private entities for services rendered in January 2026 to patients referred by the Canary Health Service (SCS). Both opinions indicate that this has been an ongoing issue for years.
Ongoing Hospitalisation Issues
The reports reviewed by the Consultative Council underscore a long-standing problem within Canary Islands healthcare: hundreds of individuals remain hospitalised despite having been medically discharged due to their inability to return home or secure a permanent socio-sanitary placement.
To prevent these patients from continuing to occupy hospital beds, the Tenerife Health Area has referred them to “transitional socio-sanitary centres.” As noted in one of the reports, these centres cater to individuals who, “despite having obtained medical discharge after completing their care process,” cannot return home and require socio-sanitary attention until a permanent placement within the dependency system becomes available.
In one instance reviewed, a private company provided long-stay hospitalisation services totalling €30,244.41. In another, a different entity billed €59,497.20 for the same type of service.
Concerns Over Contracting Process
The Tenerife Health Area’s Directorate has acknowledged, as documented in the reports, that “the Health Department has never called for a tender for long-stay contracting.” The reports explain that these patients occupy hospital beds needed for new admissions, thus making it “essential” to resort to external centres. However, these referrals have been made repeatedly without following the legal tender procedures.
Direct Assignments Without Tender
The opinions assert that “the service providers were specified by those responsible for the Area Directorate or the reference hospitals, rather than through the relevant tender contracts.” They further state that the processes have been conducted “disregarding all forms of tender procedures.” The Consultative Council concludes that the service is provided without legal coverage and without adhering to the procedures mandated by the Public Sector Contract Law. This results in contracts being formalised “flagrantly violating the fundamental principles governing public procurement.”
A Persistent Problem
“It is evident that this issue is not isolated but rather a recurring practice by the Tenerife Health Area Directorate, as indicated by the number of opinions requested from this Consultative Council regarding review procedures related to the same service,” asserts the advisory body. It also criticises the Health Department for not initiating a regular procedure to contract the service: “The Health Department has never initiated the contracting process for this long-stay hospital service.”
The Consultative Council highlights that the reasons provided illustrate a lack of planning within the competent service, and this serious irregularity cannot continue indefinitely. It also emphasises that there is no indication that the Administration is actively pursuing the necessary steps to regularise the situation through lawful contracting.
