A study by the SATSE union reveals a major lack of health professionals, including eight midwives and six physiotherapists, in the Orihuela Health Department.
The number of nurses per thousand inhabitants in the Orihuela Health Department is also below the national and regional average, and, although last year the Department of Health increased the structural staff in the department, the real needs are still far from being covered.
The study reflects that while the average number of nurses in Spain, according to the Ministry of Health, is 3.5 nurses per thousand inhabitants, and in the Valencian Community it is 3.2, the ratio is in Orihuela is 2.5, equating to a lack of 179 nurses, if the authority is to provide the correct quality of care.
Specifically, the ICU needs 12 more nurses while the Emergency Department needs 10.
In the meantime, the management insists that “it will continue to work toward achieving the improvement of resources both in personnel and in infrastructure and equipment.”
