The Government is preparing measures to alleviate the care burden and the stress that healthcare professionals in Ceuta are enduring since the massive influx of migrants recorded on July 30 and 31, according to the Nursing Technicians Union (SAE).
In a statement, the union explains that the Secretary of State for Health, Javier Padilla, met this week with representatives of the Ceuta professionals present at the Health Sector Table. During the meeting, Health would have conveyed its intention to reinforce both psychological support and the human resources available in the centers.
A therapeutic team for healthcare workers
Among the planned measures is the implementation of a therapeutic support team so that workers can manage situations that are affecting their mental health.
The SAE frames this measure in the increase of care pressure experienced during the last weeks and considers that psychological support can be key to reducing the impact of accumulated stress among the staff.
The union argues that since the end of July, numerous professionals have had to face an exceptional workload in a context of high pressure and with a care demand much higher than usual.
Translators to prevent that function from falling on Emergencies
Health also plans the hiring of translators. According to the SAE, until now part of that task was being assumed by workers from the Emergency service of the Hospital, a situation that the union considers inadequate.
María Dolores Domínguez and Rosa de la Borbolla, regional leaders of the SAE in Ceuta, argue that this work should fall on professionals specifically hired and properly compensated.
The incorporation of translators would facilitate care for patients who do not speak Spanish and, at the same time, prevent healthcare personnel from having to assume functions outside their usual competencies.
More staff and review of hiring
The Secretary of State would have also conveyed his "firm commitment" to continue reinforcing the staff and reviewing the temporary internal promotion hiring.
The intention, according to the union, is to study ways to expand those contracts without harming the functioning of the job market. The SAE considers that increasing the staff is essential to adjust the ratios to the actual care load and reduce the pressure that the teams endure.
The SAE asks that the measures arrive "as soon as possible"
The union has positively assessed the commitments conveyed by Health, although it demands that they materialize as soon as possible.
The SAE considers it "fundamental" to relieve the workload of professionals, adapt the ratios to the care reality, and improve the quality of health services. Therefore, it insists that the announcements must quickly transform into concrete measures within the Ceuta health system.
The focus will now be on checking when the therapeutic support, translators, and the new personnel reinforcements committed after the meeting with the Secretary of State are deployed.