Barcelona to shoulder the brunt of Catalan health cuts

 

Catalonia looks set to close 10% of their primary healthcare centers - around 40 in number - in a move to cut regional health spending. The cuts will leave tens of thousands of people in dozens of towns and villages without healthcare services and in some cases having to travel up to 25 kilometers to receive treatment.

The cuts will only be implemented as a temporary suspension of services over the summer and the staff affected will either be relocated, or encouraged to take a vacation. However, many of the Towns affected are worried that the measure will be extended indefinitely.

However, many will not re-open, as the order has already been given to close 50% of continuous health care centres according to one member of the opposition.

The CiU regional government has forecast that it will cut 10% of their healthcare budget - around 1 billion euros - and says the series of closures is currently in the planning stage.

The clinics affected are situated mainly in Barcelona province and affect primarily small and medium sized offices, with the Catalan government yet to specify how the cuts will affect the region's other provinces: Tarragona, Girona and Lleida.

In addition to the closures, the health department has also elected to cut night-time opening hours in 33 centers, as well as close 13 centers at lunchtimes and 11 at weekends.

In all, 97 of the region's total of 368 outpatient departments will be affected - over 25%, with the best part of closures in the other three provinces yet to be decided.