Torre del Mar out-of-hours surgery closed from Saturday 10 until Tuesday 13 October for maintenance work

During this period, patients requiring urgent care should go to the Vélez-Sur health centre, located on Calle Fernando Vivar in Vélez-Málaga. Both centres form part of the Vélez-Málaga primary healthcare area, which is part of the eastern Málaga-Axarquía healthcare management area.

The temporary relocation has also been coordinated with the out-of-hospital emergency services. According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Andalusian regional government, ambulance units and the 061 and 112 emergency services are already aware of the operational diversion planned for the coming days and the SAS therefore maintains that critical home care will continue to be "fully guaranteed".

The closure only affects the emergencies department. Routine primary care appointments scheduled during this period, including those for general practice, paediatrics and nursing , will not be affected, according to information provided by the Axarquía health district.

The regional government attributes the measure to the need to carry out "urgent maintenance work" aimed at ensuring the safety of both patients and healthcare professionals. The statement does not specify which specific parts of the facilities will be affected by the works. The management of the health district has thanked users in advance for their “understanding and cooperation” while the work is under way.

This development comes in a year in which the SAS has announced various improvements to healthcare facilities in the Axarquía. In January the regional government announced a programme of refurbishments totalling nearly 100,000 euros at six health centres in the eastern Málaga-Axarquía area, including those in Torre del Mar and Vélez-Sur, as well as Benamargosa, La Viñuela, Torrox and Almayate.

The work included repairs and refurbishment of toilets, improvements to consultation rooms and work on skylights and roofs. The manager of the health district, Miguel Moreno, argued at the time that the investments were intended to improve both the standard of care and the working environment for staff. The SAS has not, however, specified whether the works that will now necessitate the temporary closure of the emergency department form part of that programme.

The closure also comes just over a month after CSIF publicly reported the persistent presence of cockroaches in various areas of the health centre. The union stated at the end of August that it had brought the issue to the attention of the health area management and called for a comprehensive plan, having deemed the pest control measures and the traps installed to be insufficient.

While work continues on the existing facilities, the regional government and Vélez-Málaga town hall are simultaneously making progress on the project for a new health centre in western area of Torre del Mar. On 24 June, both authorities signed an agreement providing for an investment of 12.7 million euros, to be funded by the SAS. The town hall will be responsible for providing the land and drawing up the plans, while the regional government will take charge of the construction, fitting out and subsequent commissioning of the centre.

Funding for the construction of the future healthcare facility is spread across the financial years 2027 to 2029. When the agreement was signed, Councillor Antonio Sanz described the agreement as “a decisive step” towards a long-awaited piece of infrastructure designed to strengthen primary care in a town that has experienced significant population growth.

Until that project comes to fruition, the current health centre will continue to provide a large proportion of Torre del Mar’s healthcare services.

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