With just a few weeks remaining until the start of the summer season, the SATSE Madrid union has presented a clear demand to the Ministry of Health: the implementation of a long-term hiring plan. Named the «Horizon Plan», this proposal aims to anticipate the scarcity of professionals that, according to their complaints, has led to hospital bed closures and increased waiting lists during previous holiday periods.
The union warns that delays in contract renewals place Madrid at a disadvantage compared to other autonomous communities, which are already offering six-month contracts. According to SATSE, if the Madrid Health Service (Sermas) does not act diligently to retain staff, the lack of personnel needed to cover current staff's rest shifts will recur.
“"If they don't do it themselves, Sermas simply doesn't cover absences, forcing the remaining staff to take on double the care workload, a pressure they describe as 'unbearable'."
The situation is particularly critical for physiotherapists and midwives in health centers. The union reports that these professionals are often forced to find their own substitutes. This situation compels the remaining staff to assume a double care workload, which they deem unsustainable.
Therefore, SATSE has demanded that 100% of vacancies be covered and that nurses and midwives be officially recognized as deficit categories in the region. While the administration has acknowledged this situation in internal discussions, workers' representatives state that effective remuneration or work-life balance solutions are still lacking.
The proposed «Horizon Plan» is not limited to emergency summer hiring but outlines a more structural management model for the Madrid Health Service. Key aspects include stable contracts with a minimum duration of six months to provide professional security and ensure summer coverage, a detailed study of the actual staffing needs for nursing, specialists, and physiotherapy to avoid last-minute fixes, and staff retention through improved working conditions and work-life balance to prevent professionals from leaving for other regions or the private sector.
The union concludes that the lack of foresight not only burdens workers with excessive pressure but also directly impacts Madrid residents through reduced operational services during the months of July, August, and September.
