Along with the closure and/or reduction of visits, long waiting lists for primary care have led to an increase in the population attending emergency services. Doctors report that this is also happening in Galdakao-Usansolo: “Emergency services have become a wildcard for staff shortages that are occurring at other levels of health care.” In October, the workload increased by 20% over the same period last year, but Osakidetza has decided to reduce the staff by 10%, as it has suspended six doctors’ contracts.

In addition, hospital staff have criticized that Osakidetza wants to worsen the conditions of all professionals, offering them mixed contracts for half of their activity to be performed in primary care and the other half in the emergency room. The whole workforce has decided to waive these conditions: “These mixed contracts are being generalized from Osakidetza and we have the feeling that they want to turn us into chips to cover any shortages, which implies a decrease in the quality of patient care”.

In the words of the ELA union, Osakidetza often argues that there is a lack of professionals and that he has problems hiring personnel, but what is really behind are “the working conditions offered” and “there are more professionals than ever who are taking out of the system because they do not find the right working conditions to carry a decent life project.” ELA calls on OSI Management Barrualde-Galdakao to hold an urgent meeting to discuss working conditions and to request that all six doctors be rehired. The trade union also raises the possibility of mobilisation.

“The government wants to dismantle the Basurto Hospital”

On the other hand, Osakidetza plans to close the cardiac surgery service in Basurto and concentrate on the Cruces Hospital, as recently stated. On 17 November I wanted to make the move, but as the matter is resolved, a court in Vitoria has paralysed the process as a precautionary measure.

Now, 36 of the 38 service heads of the Basurto Hospital have signed an open letter, refuting the arguments of the Basque Government Health Advisor to transfer the cardiac surgery service to another hospital. Among other things, doctors claim that the Government has no evidence that the more patients focus the surgery service in one place the better the results will be. Doctors say the future of Basurto Hospital will be “very uncertain” if the surgery service is removed and report that the government is preparing to dissolve the Basurto Hospital and privatize the health system.