No 1109 Monday 5th - Sunday 11th January 2026
637 227 385
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The Costa Blanca’s oldest ‘FREE’ English language newspaper - WITH THE LARGEST LOCAL CIRCULATION
H E A LTH MINISTER URGED TO INTERV E N E I N T O R R E V I E J A H O S P I TA L C R I S I S
he nursing union Satse has issued a stark warning regarding the "inhumane" collapse of the Torrevieja Hospital Emergency Department.
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Since December 30, patients have faced wait times exceeding 60 hours for admission, with many stranded in a unit designed only for short-term urgent care. The crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable elderly patients over 80 who require specialised, continuous care that the overcrowded emergency ward cannot provide. This follows previous complaints about inpatient wards, where single-occupancy rooms have been doubled up to manage the overflow, severely compromising patient privacy and safety. Satse places the blame on a structural lack of resources to meet the region's growing population. The union is calling on Health Minister Marciano Gomez and the Conselleria de Sanidad to take immediate action. Their demands include a permanent expansion of hospital infrastructure and increased staffing levels to resolve the "unbearable" workload and restore dignity to healthcare. Without urgent intervention, Satse warns that both patient safety and the well-being of healthcare workers remain at critical risk.