“If there is a punctured vacuum mattress, there it is, three or four months”: how the lack of logistics affects 061 in Ibiza and Formentera.

The lack of a logistics department in the 061 of Ibiza and Formentera, a lack that UGT has been denouncing for months, has practical effects that, according to the union, explain part of the deterioration of the service in the Pitiusas.

• UGT reiterates its complaint about the deterioration of 061 in Ibiza: “Mismanagement” and “lack of maintenance”.

The delegate Vicente Nadal Ballesteros told La Voz de Ibiza that in Mallorca and Menorca this structure already works, with two specific technicians “in charge of replacing, changing and correcting incidents in the fleet, both urgent and programmed“.

On the other hand, in Ibiza and Formentera “these tasks fall to traffic chiefs and relocated personnel“, despite the fact that they are not functions proper to those positions. “For example, if a monitor breaks at a base in Sant Antoni, they take the new monitor and take the old one with them,” he explains.

This lack of structure has a special impact on Formentera, where, according to Nadal, “if a neck brace breaks, until a helicopter or a partner arrives…”.The absence of a stable logistical team means that situations such as a punctured vacuum mattress can last “three or four months” without replacement, simply because no one can move it or check it with the necessary frequency.

UGT reiterates that these functions should not fall to workers without specific technical training, nor to traffic managers who “are there for schedules and personnel management“. “It should be done by a certified workshop or a qualified professional,” stresses Nadal, who regrets that the current system forces them to improvise repairs that are not part of the responsibilities of such personnel. For the union, this lack of professionalization not only generates delays, but also contributes to equipment deteriorating prematurely.

The organization insists that the creation of its own logistics department -identical to that of Mallorca and Menorca- would make it possible to review the fleet, replenish material and control incidents on a regular basis, including weekly visits to Formentera, where the accumulation of material pending replacement is one of the main problems of the service. UGT demands that means, tools and a formal structure be provided to replace the current “sporadic and insufficient” system.

Complaint of lack of maintenance

The union relates this lack of logistics with the deterioration of the current fleet of ambulances. The Regional Minister of Health, Manuela Garcia, said recently that there will be no problems with the new vehicles, as the company Fraikin will continue to be in charge of maintenance thanks to the award under the form of renting.

However, UGT argues that “the lack of maintenance by the previous company” explains the current situation, given that “Fraikin almost never sent technicians to Ibiza” and many breakdowns ended up being solved by the staff themselves. The union fears that the situation could be repeated if real follow-up mechanisms are not established.

In addition to the lack of maintenance, there are structural deficiencies in several operational bases. UGT denounces the absence of roofs and adequate warehouses in Sant Antoni, Sant Agustí and Sant Joan, where ambulances lack protection against inclement weather. In the case of non-emergency medical transport, vehicles are still piled up in the old hospital of Can Misses, which makes it difficult to review and projects an “unprofessional” image. These deficits have already been warned on previous occasions.

Other claims

Added to this is the lack of hiring. According to the union, despite the availability of personnel in the SOIB, the management of GSAIB continues to resort to between 10 and 15 extra guards daily to cover sick leave and uncovered shifts, which increases the workload and increases public spending. UGT recalls that last November 17, the basic life support ambulance of Sant Joan was inoperative for twelve hours due to lack of staff, despite the fact that that day additional guards were offered to cover the service.

The union warns that this dynamic could be repeated during the Christmas campaign, especially in view of the implementation of the new LIMA resource, which will require six professionals per day. UGT points out that there are five technicians registered with the SOIB who meet the requirements, but that the public company does not plan to hire them, again resorting to the use of overtime. According to the organization, this model “overloads the staff and wastes public money”.

The organization insists that the Pitiusas need their own logistics department, like the existing ones in Mallorca and Menorca, to avoid situations like the ones described and to guarantee a systematic follow-up of the fleet and the material. “We are waiting for the new fleet, but without a structure behind it the same thing will happen,” Nadal points out. UGT demands an official response and a real planning before the entry into service of the new vehicles and the LIMA resource.

Continue reading:

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• Health alert: unlicensed drivers for new ambulances in Ibiza and Formentera

• UGT denounces deficiencies and discrimination in the ambulance service of Ibiza and Formentera