The Balearic Government has publicly admitted the serious deficiencies in the fleet of ambulances in the Balearic Islands, after the complaint filed by the Union of Nursing Technicians (SAE). The Minister of Health, Manuela Garcia, has acknowledged that the medical transport fleet, with an average age of eight years, “leaves much to be desired”. This diagnosis comes after an incident in Ibiza that showed the lack of maintenance in ambulances and left a patient and a health technician injured.
A contract to renew medical transport
The Govern has announced a leasing contract to renew the fleet of ambulances in all the islands. This plan includes 246 vehicles for a value of nearly 46.4 million euros and will last for five years. Among the new resources planned are 84 emergency transport ambulances, 117 for scheduled transport, logistics vehicles, a pediatric ambulance and a vehicle with ECMO equipment for Ibiza.
As explained the Minister during his visit to the Health Center Casa del Mar in Palma, the new contract will improve the ratio of vehicles, from one ambulance reserve for every 13 care resources to one for every two. In addition, scheduled transport ambulances will be the first in Spain to incorporate electric bunk beds, an advance that promises to improve patient safety and reduce the physical effort of professionals.
Ibiza at the center of complaints
The complaint of the SAE has put the focus on the specific shortcomings of Ibiza. Among the problems identified, include the absence of specific bases for ambulances, forcing them to leave the vehicles outdoors, and the lack of a logistics vehicle on the island. In addition, the union has warned that these conditions directly affect the safety of users and professionals. The incident that triggered the alarm occurred when a patient fell from a stretcher due to its poor condition, causing injuries both to the patient himself and to the technician who was trying to help him. This fact, according to the union, is “an obvious sign of the neglect and lack of maintenance of the equipment”. In addition, the SAE has denounced labor inequalities, such as wage differences between scheduled ambulance technicians and emergency.
Changes needed to avoid collapse
The renewal of the ambulance fleet comes at a critical time, with summer and increased tourist activity on the horizon. The SAE has warned that, if not acted quickly, medical transport could face a collapse during the high season. In addition, it has called for immediate measures to improve the working conditions of technicians, ensure proper maintenance of vehicles and ensure the safety of patients. The Balearic Government is confident that the new fleet will help to solve historical problems of medical transport in the islands, although there is still no concrete date for its implementation. In the meantime, the authorities have promised to check the stretchers immediately to avoid similar incidents in the future.
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