One of the proposals is the installation of a 24 hour telephone line dedicated to Covid-19 inquiries.
“Consultants are saturated and staff don’t have time to answer calls because they have to catch up on the new Government protocols and they're physically exhausted due to the lack of personnel.”
Simebal has also insisted that two independent Primary Care phone lines be established to separate calls from people with respiratory pathologies from those with other symptoms and stressed the urgent need to hire more trackers and medical personnel.
UVAC
The Union is calling for better management of the Coronavirus Care Units, or UVACs which are responsible for treating Covid-19 patients at home.
Simebal described the UVAC service, which started operating during the first wave of coronavirus infections in Majorca as essential service, pointing out that the UVAC staff can carry out PCR tests, follow-up on positive patients at home and take some of the stress off Primary Care Health Centres.
Union Reps have appealed to managers to step up, saying "staff are coping with an unbearable volume of patient calls, Doctors are working an extra 3 hours a day and trackers are completely overwhelmed."
Phone Lines
An extra 600 telephone lines are being installed for both 061 Emergency Services and for Health Centres, according to General Director, Juli Fuster, who admitted that on many occasions patients can't through on the ‘phone because the lines are always busy. She also said it may take a few weeks for the lines to be fully operational.
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"staff are coping with an unbearable volume of patient calls". Thats strange I've been in Majorca over a month now and not a Spaniard I've spoken with know anyone thats even ill with this 'virus'.
Yes, but as the new card is a small credit card sized piece of plastic, with a photograph, and therefore negates the need to carry a passport, it is a godsend for permanent residents who have the large A4 sized residecias and the small, paper versions, neither of which have photos. Therefore not a question of need but convenience and all for 12€. As they say, a no brainer!