According to health workers unions, the ER department of the Hospital Universitario de Canarias (HUC) is in a state of “permanent collapse” and not just because the entire Endocrinology and Ophthalmology floor has been closed, but also because specialists’ holiday periods are not being covered by locums and so GPs are having to refer cases directly to the ER for those patients whose ailment can not wait until September.
Before the great August exodus started in Tenerife the Ministry of Health insisted that the planned closure of hospital beds would not affect emergency services, nor would the lack of budget to hire replacements for staff who were off sick or on holidays affect waiting lists.
However, the reality of the situation on the ground would appear to contradict these claims.
Intersindical Canaria spokesperson, Cati Darias said “The ER is over capacity on an ongoing basis, with patients in corridors as there are no beds available”
The Guardia Civil have begun an investigation following the discovery of a body on rocks near the natural swimming pools in Caletillas, Candelaria.
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