SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 28 Aug. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Official College of Physicians of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, alongside the State Confederation of Medical Unions in the Canary Islands, have conveyed their “disappointment” regarding the availability of specialised healthcare training within the islands, particularly in relation to medical education, as only 8 out of the 24 newly available positions are allocated for Medicine.
Out of the 477 accredited roles in the Canary Islands, 460 are being offered, of which 370 are designated for specialist physicians.
Representatives of the medical field, the College, and the Canarian Medical Union highlight the absence of slots in various accredited specialties that are not included in this call, such as Internal Medicine, Clinical Analysis, Microbiology, Paediatric Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Digestive System.
Of particular note, according to a joint statement, is the specialty of Family and Community Medicine, which is in “urgent” need of more placements, as is Paediatrics, since the number of available spots is still limited compared to the existing demand, which is anticipated to further increase.
“Primary Care in the Canary Islands and its professionals have endured, for many years, substandard working conditions, insufficient space, and facilities from the last century, especially in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is imperative to address these challenges to train more professionals in Family Medicine and Paediatrics, and to encourage more doctors to serve as tutors for these specialists, as the current shortfall will significantly impact the overall public health system in the Canary Islands,” they assert.
In this vein, they emphasise that “the annual offer of 90 positions for the past two decades is entirely inadequate”, compounded by the “burden” of job insecurity and the highest temporary employment rate in all of Spain, “with three OPEs over 40 years and poorer pay conditions compared to other autonomous communities”, rendering it difficult for the Canary Islands “to attract a workforce commensurate with demographic growth and tourism activity”.
