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In Alicante province, attacks on doctors have increased by 37%

Salud La Mata

In Spain, a doctor is attacked every ten hours. Although there are fewer attacks in the province of Alicante, the issue is becoming more prevalent. In fact, the number of these incidents (both verbal and physical) increased by 37% in 2024 as compared to the previous year.

The Official College of Physicians of Alicante (COMA), which received 26 allegations of assaults on physicians (while doing their duties) last year, published these numbers. Males made up 58% of the victims, with the majority being under 35.

Additionally, there were more physical assaults—5 occurrences compared to the 2 in 2023—and threats and coercion against doctors in their workplace—16 compared to the 13 that were reported to the College the year before. verbal abuse, to which the five notifications for harassment and insults must be added.

The majority of these violent incidents—24, or 92% of the total—took place in the public system. 65% of the attacks reported by the COMA in 2024 occurred in health centres and primary care emergency departments, continuing the trend of prior years that shows this to be the most violent and dangerous medical setting for physicians.

In the province of Alicante, the aggressor typically takes the form of a guy under 40 who is either a patient or a friend. Regarding the reasons behind the attacks, the most prominent ones are the disparities in the medical care that was given and the failure to provide the patient’s recommended medication.

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Dr. José Manuel Peris, the Secretary General of the COMA, notes that although more doctors are reporting violent incidents they see too frequently, “these figures do not reflect the magnitude of the problem.” Many more attacks go unreported due of fear of potential retaliation, exhaustion from the copious paperwork necessary, the sluggishness of the legal system, or the absurd penalties that complaints frequently result in.

“We need stronger penalties, as well as a specific law against assaults on healthcare personnel, as already exists in other Autonomous Communities, and on-site reporting,” states the general secretary of COMA.

“Of course, threats and coercion, but also insults and humiliation, must never occur, and this must be made clear to the aggressors,” Dr. Peris says, urging his fellow medical professionals to always report any aggression. We run the risk of internalising and normalising them, which is not an option, and doctors do not deserve them. You must report them to the COMA and the police since remaining silent about the aggressions is tantamount to endorsing them.

Workshops on prevention


As part of the celebration of the “European Day against Attacks on Doctors and Health Professionals” on March 12th, the Medical Union of the Valencian Community (CESM-CV) and the Alicante Medical Association will collaborate with the Alicante Command’s Civil Guard and the National Police of the Alicante Provincial Police Station to host two workshops on self-defence and prevention techniques.

Inspector D. Vicente Romero, the Provincial Police Territorial Health Interlocutor’s working team, will conduct the first practical session. Next Wednesday, March 12th, at 1:00 p.m., the meeting will take place in the Juan XXIII Health Center’s assembly hall. The agents will give the center’s medical staff specialised training in this workshop to help them steer clear of dangerous circumstances.

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This year marks the first time the COMA and the Civil Guard have collaborated on a workshop. The Santa Pola Health Centre was selected as the location. On March 25th, the Guardia Civil’s Police-Health Interlocutor, Lieutenant José Agustín Serna of the Alicante Command Headquarters, and his team will conduct a hands-on training for medical professionals.


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Costa Blanca

Sticky Vicky’s daughter quits mum’s iconic Benidorm show

Benidorm

Adhesive the stage act has been sensationally abandoned by Vicky’s daughter, who has followed in her late mother’s footsteps, thereby leaving behind her family’s Benidorm legacy.

The unexpected decision was made after María Gadea Aragón assumed responsibility for the adult-themed magic performances following the passing of her mother, Victoria María Aragón Gadea, in 2023 at the age of 80.

María, who had been employing her mother’s stage identity in the well-known Spanish resort, has now discontinued her performances after a decade on stage.

María performed frequently at venues including the Palladium, Zodiaco, and Rockerfellers, as well as Benidorm which is a popular destination for British expatriates and vacationers.

Des Bellamy-Wright, an employee at the Benidorm Palladium, verified that María is no longer employed in the lively Spanish city. Des stated, “Sticky Vicky is no longer operational in Benidorm.” The ‘Carmen Snake – Sticky Show’ is a similarly entertaining program that is broadcast every night at 12:45 a.m. “

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The official reason for Maria’s retirement was not disclosed, and her final performance was in November 2024.


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Costa Blanca

Elche’s H&M shop closing

H&M Zenia

The Swedish retail chain H&M announced in 2024 that it would be reducing the number of stores and employment it has in Spain due to “organisational, productive, and economic” reasons. Around 50 layoffs were the result of the closure of stores in the L’Aljub retail centres in Elche, Ociopía in Orihuela, and Habaneras in Torrevieja, which had consequences for the province of Alicante.

Additionally, these were the sole instances in the Valencian Community that were impacted. The Torrevieja store was the first to shut its doors in May 2024 since that time. The Orihuela store was subsequently closed on September 14th of the same year. Currently, the Elche store has shuttered its doors. The facility was closed to the public on March 14th, following its final day of operation on March 11th. It will be entirely shut down on March 22nd. Approximately 20 employees are being laid off at this Elche store. It is the final establishment in the province of Alicante that will not reopen, and the circumstances of the dismissal were negotiated in October. The employees have departed the company with an agreement as a result of these negotiations, according to Yolanda de la Casa, the general secretary of the CCOO Services Federation in Alicante.

The dismissal terms that were established following the October negotiations were 45 days until 2012 and 33 days until the present. A gratuity of 3,500 euros was granted for the first five years, 4,000 euros for the next ten years, and a maximum of 4,500 euros for the subsequent years.

Furthermore, three relocations have occurred among the 50 individuals who were laid off in the province, spanning Elche, Orihuela, and Torrevieja. Lely Fernández of UGT l’Alacantí-La Marina informed this newspaper that these were part-time employees from the Habaneras shopping centre in Torrevieja who were transferred to the La Zenia shopping centre, which continues to operate and is accessible.

H&M initiated 2024 by announcing the closure of 28 stores and approximately 588 collective redundancies. The figure was reduced to 521 reductions in a subsequent revision.

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The Torrevieja store closed its doors to the public on May 17th, 2024, and the lease expired on May 24th, never to be reopened. Nevertheless, numerous employees at this establishment were granted the opportunity to relocate to other nearby stores that were still operational. In September 2024, Ociopía followed suit, and Elche followed suit in March 2025.

The H&M group operates over 100 stores and employs nearly 4,000 individuals in the country. This decision was made by the Scandinavian company in order to “adapt and perfect” its stores in a “changing” shopping environment for its consumers. Additionally, Spain would be responsible for 17% of the brand’s global closures, as indicated by the data that the company disclosed months ago when it presented its 2023 financial year.


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Costa Blanca

Man stole fire extinguishers to sell as scrap metal

Guardia Civil Stolen Fire Extinqishers

A 20-year-old male is currently under investigation by the Guardia Civil for the purported theft of ten fire extinguishers. The fire extinguishers were discovered by Seprona officers during an inspection of a scrap metal establishment in Torrevieja. The store manager and the criminal are both the subject of an investigation.

The fire extinguishers, which were in near-new condition and completely charged, were discovered by the Servicio de Protección a la Naturaleza (Seprona) officers during the inspection. The investigation was initiated due to the fact that this material is “uncommon” in this form of business, as explained by sources from the Armed Forces.

Upon discovering the fire extinguishers, the officers enquired about the scrapyard manager’s documentation regarding the extinguishers’ arrival. The manager responded that he did not possess any proof of ownership. Additionally, he disclosed that a woman and her son had abandoned them there without his permission.

The company responsible for maintaining the fire extinguishers was identified by Seprona officers after they analysed the evidence and proof acquired. This verified that the extinguishers were located in a building in Torrevieja. The missing equipment was reported by the property manager of this community of proprietors shortly thereafter.

Fire extinguishers were recovered


Officers were permitted to confiscate the fire extinguishers and transport them to the Torrevieja Civil Guard barracks as a result of the formal complaint. Upon verification of their origin, they were returned to their legitimate owners.

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The individuals implicated have been identified as a result of the operation. The 20-year-old man who is supposed to have stolen the fire extinguishers is being investigated for theft, while the 23-year-old proprietor of the scrap yard is being investigated for receiving stolen goods.

The Guardia Civil emphasises the necessity of reporting these types of incidents and reminds all individuals of the significance of doing so. In order to prevent the acquisition of stolen material, scrap metal dealers must establish rigorous controls, such as document checks on sellers and items received.


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