Andalusian public health service to hire 5,809 healthcare workers to cover summer leave in Malaga

The regional minister of health and consumer affairs, Rocío Hernández, has announced that the Andalusian public health service (SAS) plans to hire 36,500 healthcare workers across the region to cover primary care centres and hospitals during the summer holiday season. Malaga province expects to see 5,809 new contracts issued, but the categories have not been specified.

During the regional government's council meeting, which was held on Tuesday, 28 May, Hernández stated that the number of contracts this year is similar to the offer in 2024. According to the regional minister, this will ensure that SAS "has the necessary resources to cover the needs of the centres and guarantee healthcare".

The summer 2025 plan includes over 36,500 staff, that's 15% more than in 2018 and the same number of people who were called up in 2024 - fewer than initially planned.

By month, 938 contracts will be signed in June, 8,667 in September and 1,052 in October. By categories, there will be 1,091 doctors, 12,791 nursing professionals, 12,016 auxiliary nursing care technicians (TCAE), 10,632 management, maintenance and accommodation and catering contracts.

By province, some 3,866 people will be hired in Almeria, 5,820 in Cadiz, 3,168 in Cordoba, 4,591 in Granada, 2,763 in Jaen, 5,809 in Malaga and 7,433 in Seville.

More than 135 million euros have been earmarked for these new contracts - the same amount spent in 2024, although the forecast is lower than last year's, without this indicating a reduction in the care effort, "but rather a response to a context of greater stability of the workforce".

These estimates have been made on the basis of data on demand for care recorded in recent summers and may therefore be subject to change depending on circumstances.

The regional government is also going to endorse two healthcare centers in Malaga, which involves hiring 49 people.

Data on primary care centres at a provincial level have not been made public, although the SAS states that it will keep 1,513 outpatient clinics in operation, of which 392 will be open from 3pm to 8pm, two more than in 2024. Of these, 91 are equipped with basic primary care teams (EBAP), which will maintain scheduled activity, and another 89 will maintain their afternoon activity digitally. The primary care emergency services (SUAP) will maintain their usual timetable.

The SAS assures that, in this way, it adjusts the healthcare resources to the demand generated by the population movements from July to September.

In terms of hospital beds, there will be 11,700 throughout Andalucía, compared to the 14,000 that were available from January to May. For this decision, the regional government has used data from 2024, when 66% (around 8,700) of the beds were occupied during the summer, compared to the 94% that were occupied from January to May this year. With that said, this summer the Junta strikes a middle ground, making 84% of beds available.

The availability of the operating theatres this summer will be at a similar level to previous years' summer periods, standing at 75% of the usual availability during the rest of the year. A total of 83,329 operations, 3,092,200 diagnostic tests and 3,080,215 outpatient consultations are expected.

In addition, the regional minister announced reforms to the traumatology hospitalisation floor and improvements to the pharmacy, neurology, paediatric and maternity operating theatres at the Hospital Regional Universitario in Malaga.

This announcement has stirred a lot of reactions. The Andalusian nursing council (CAE) has expressed its concern that nurses will go to other regions "in search of decent recruitment conditions". "This is affecting a whole generation of trained nurses and recently graduated nurses, as well as specialists finishing their residency," said CAE. Professionals have been leaving for other regions and countries in search of "job stability and professional recognition that they do not find in Andalucía".

The CAE body stated that this issue should already be foreseen and resolved, because "the delay in hiring and its conditions will once again" overload care and leave gaps in staff.

The workers' union (CCOO), has sent a note concerning Hospital Regional's "worrying deterioration in the quality of care: closure of hospital wards, inactive operating theatres, drastic reduction of staff and surgical waiting lists that exceed two years in some specialities such as traumatology or neurosurgery".

The union is afraid that the regional government is repeating the mistake it made in 2024, when it "failed to increase human resources, but maintained the closure of beds and services", despite the region receiving 6.2 million tourists. According to the union, the 2025 plan foresees 40% fewer nurses and "significant cuts in technicians and auxiliary staff".