PSOE regrets the closure of health centers in Benidorm in the afternoons during the peak summer season

The Socialist Municipal Group of Benidorm has denounced the closure of all the city's health centres in the afternoons during the summer period, a situation that will continue until October. Socialist councillor Laura Rubio lamented this measure at a time when Benidorm's population increases up to fivefold due to the massive influx of tourists and visitors.

Rubio pointed out that this reduction in primary care hours creates an "unacceptable workload for healthcare staff" at the centres and represents "a serious problem and a direct detriment to residents and users," especially those who, due to work or daily obligations, cannot attend their appointments in the morning.

Given this situation, the Socialist councillor has asked the Regional Ministry of Health to "urgently change its policy" and authorise the opening of at least some of the municipality's health centres in the afternoons during August and September. "We fully understand the administration's difficulties in replacing medical professionals during vacation periods due to staff shortages, but the Generalitat must make an organisational and budgetary effort. Benidorm, as a tourist capital, cannot be left without assistance or have basic services cut at the time of greatest healthcare demand of the year," Rubio asserted.
 

24-hour emergency services at Tomás Ortuño and Els Tolls Health Centre

The Socialist councilwoman also took the opportunity to reiterate her firm demand for the implementation of a 24-hour emergency service at the Tomás Ortuño health centre, a long-standing demand of the town centre to alleviate pressure on primary care and provide rapid healthcare to residents and visitors. “It makes no sense that residents who live on the same street as the Tomás Ortuño health centre have to travel all the way to Rincón de Loix when their clinic closes to receive emergency care,” she stated.

Finally, Laura Rubio again demanded that the Regional Ministry of Health finally complete the construction and development of the health centre in the Els Tolls neighbourhood, an essential piece of infrastructure that the People's Party (PP) itself revived as a campaign promise.

"We demand that the Consell listen to the needs of Benidorm, and that the mayor act accordingly, prioritising health over political partisanship and demanding all these issues from the Conselleria," the socialist councillor concluded.