The Medical Union of the Balearic Islands, Simebalhas issued a statement in which it expresses its rejection of the Balearic Government ‘s intention to absorb the difficult-to-cover bonus for health professionals in Ibiza, Formentera and Menorca. This bonus, introduced on January 1, 2023, had been implemented precisely to address the chronic lack of medical professionals, nurses and physiotherapists in these islands, thus encouraging health workers with conditions that favor their permanence and attraction to the most understaffed areas.
A complement at risk that could affect local sanitation
The difficult-to-cover supplement, approved in December 2022, was born as a strategy to attract and retain professionals in the islands, ensuring adequate healthcare for its citizens. According to the union, since its establishment, it has managed to attract many professionals who now see at risk these working conditions and training benefits that have made quality healthcare possible.
Possible mobilizations and rejection of the collective
Fearing that the Govern will eliminate this allowance to merge it with the residency compensation, Simebal and the nursing union SATSE organized informative assemblies in Ibiza and Menorca. In these meetings, both face-to-face and virtual, numerous professionals showed their disagreement with the measure and expressed their willingness to mobilize if the Govern persists in its proposal. According to the union, more than 50 health professionals connected online and many face-to-face attendees supported the need for actions to defend the permanence of the complement. “Investing in loyalty of professionals is investing in quality healthcare,” emphasizes the union, which asks the Govern to reconsider the measure and maintain the difficult-to-cover complement as a key tool to ensure the health welfare in the Pitiusas.
