The "Late" Incorporation of 6,200 Nurses Jeopardises Vaccination Campaign in Alicante

"Improvisation and disorganisation." Without mincing words, the Nursing Union Satse criticises the planning for the COVID-flu-RSV vaccination campaign by the Conselleria de Sanidad.

The union has issued a statement denouncing that the incorporation of 6,200 nurses into their new positions throughout October is jeopardising the start of the campaign (which began on 1st October), a period of the year when the availability of these professionals is crucial.

The arrival of these over 6,000 nurses is due to the simultaneous resolution of three selection processes—transfer competition, OPE 2017-2018, and OPE 2022 for stabilisation—which reduces the number of nurses available to serve users.

The consequences are already being felt in health centres, explains Satse, where delays in appointments and the vaccination campaign are occurring. Additionally, many clinics have been forced to block nurses' schedules for chronic patient consultations (hypertensive, diabetic, etc.) to prioritise population vaccination.

Chronic agendas are one of the items to fulfil to receive the new productivity bonus created by Sanidad, explains the union, and their "halt will likely have negative consequences on the productivity bonus that Primary Care nurses will receive."

According to the union, all this would not have happened if the Conselleria had completed these three selection processes (one of which began in 2021) within an "acceptable" timeframe; however, these processes have suffered an "unjustified delay" due to the Generalitat's "lack of planning and uncoordinated management."

For all these reasons, Satse has demanded an "urgent" evaluation of the most affected health centres due to the shortage of nurses and the convening of the Health Sector Table to assess the current situation and agree on solutions with the unions.