18/05/2012 00:00
TW
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Palma.—The UGT's Public Services department said yesterday that hosptial waiting lists were “bursting at the seams” even though senior personnel in the Balearic HealthService (Ib-Salut) were insisting that cuts “were not affecting the level of service and quality of care in regional hospitals.” The UGT said in a statement that “it is evident that the downturn in quality of service and the huge increase in the time that people are having to wait for an operation is putting public health at risk.” Union Action Secretary Miguel Angel Romero cited the example of waiting lists at the east Palma hospital of Son Llatzer. In May this year, he claimed, there were 2'000 patients who had waited more than either 150 or 180 days for an operation. Just six months ago in October, there had been just 133 patients waiting more than 180 days and 362 still on the list after more than five months.

According to the Union Public Services department, the closure of operating theatres and beds recently announced by the government as a means of saving during this summer, will mean the situation is going to deteriorate. The Union made an open invitation for health workers and patients to attend a demonstration against the cuts being held today in Plaza Espanya in Palma at 6pm.