Health service cuts 71 top jobs

Hospitals in Andalucía

Andalucía concentrates hospital and health centre management for savings of €4.9 million

SEVILLA It is not much more than a gesture in the grand scheme of Spanish anti-deficit cutbacks, but it is a necessary one. T&he health system of Andalucía (SAS, or Servicio Andaluz de Salud) announced at a press conference last week that it would be eliminating 71 top jobs from its structure, and management of three foundations will be conjoined for savings. According to the Councillor for Health, María Jesús Montero, and the head of SAS, José Luis Gutiérrez, the measures will mean considerably more work for the remaining executives but it will save almost €5million a year. Aside from direct management positions in the elimination stakes, there are also a number of public companies (the term refers to companies set up by official government agencies of all levels, not to companies as understood in the US and UK, for example) that will be undergoing similar sacrifices. COMING SOON: SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION>>>

These cost cutting exercises, while not producing enormous savings, are nevertheless visible, press-releaseable, and will have impact the over 100,000 health service employees who have had their salaries and/or benefits cut, or have lost their jobs entirely.

The reduction comes as a result of management unification, including that of some hospitals and primary care sectors. Except for Almería, where similar measures were taken some years ago and is therefore exempt from the present ones, every province in Andalucía is affected.

Cádiz loses 9 posts for a savings of €600,000; Córdoba, 7 for €450,000; Granada, 9 for €600,000; Huelva, 7 for €450,000; Jaén, 13 for €600,000; Málaga, 8 for €450,000 and finally, Sevilla loses 10 posts to gain a savings of €660,000. 

As to the public companies, most of them were brought together under the Agencia Pública Empresarial de la Costa del Sol and the Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, which has had its budget cut by 45%. For its part, the Fundación Progreso y Salud heads another two foundations run by the health administration system of Andalucía, where jobs at the top have been reduced by 8 with a 40% savings. Jobs at all levels have also been reduced by between 15 and 20%, saving a million euros.

The vast majority of those impacted by these cuts are funcionarios (public servants) with 'a job for life', so they will return to their previous posts or be newly seconded. If they're not, their contract comes to an end. Asked what their future might be, the Councillor for Health said that she was not certain 'because the process is being adjusted at present.'

The changes as they affect your province (Ask at your local health centre to which district you belong) :

Almería

No changes. The health areas of AGS (Área de Gestión Sanitaria, health management area) Norte and the Districts of Almería and Poniente remain the same.

Cádiz

One single management system for the Hospital de Jerez and the Districts of Jerez-Costa Noroeste and Sierra de Cádiz. The AGS of the Campo de Gibraltar and the District of Bahía de Cádiz-La Janda remain the same. Single management for the Puerta del Mar Hospital in Cádiz and the hospital at Puerto Real.

Córdoba

Single management for Reina Sofía Hospital, another for the North AGS in Córdoba, a third for Hospital de Cabra and South Córdoba AGS, and a fourth single one for the AGS districts of Córdoba and Guadalquivir.

Granada

A single management system for the Granada and Metropolitan Granada areas. A unified system, too, for the Hospital de Baza and Granada Northwest. Common management for the Virgen de las Nieves and San Cecilio hospitals. The Granada South AGS remains the same.

Huelva

Northern AGS stays. Unified management for the districts of Huelva Costa and Condado Campiña. Common management for the Juan Ramón Jiménez and Infanta Elena hospitals.

Jaén

The Úbeda and Linares hospital managements come together, plus the AGS districts of North and Northeast Jaén. Central and South Jaén also get common management, and single management for the Jaén Hospital Complex.

Málaga

Shared management for the Regional and Virgen de la Victoria hospitals, as well as for the AGSs of Málaga and Guadalhorce Valley. The Districts of Costa del Sol and the AGSs of Axarquía, North Málaga and Serranía remain the same.

Seville

The Virgen del Rocío and Virgen Macarena hospitals share management, as will the districts of Aljarafe and North Sevilla, on one hand; the Hospital de Valme and the South Sevilla District on the other. The Osuna AGS remains the same.