The Valencian Ministry of Health has begun the process of expanding Torrevieja Hospital (in Alicante). The regional government claims it will be “a large-scale project that will increase the hospital’s capacity and meet current demand.”
In this regard, Marciano Gómez, Regional Minister of Health, and Eduardo Dolón, Mayor of the Municipality, met on Wednesday, February 4th, and agreed on the transfer of a 12,000 square metre (m2) plot of land by the City Council to carry out the enlargement. This site is near to the hospital and faces the seaside.
“We are aware of the population growth in Torrevieja, as well as the ageing of the population and the healthcare needs of the residents of this municipality. Therefore, with this expansion, we aim to meet those healthcare needs and guarantee the people of Torrevieja the best healthcare resources,” he said.
Speaking to the media, the regional minister emphasised that the Ministry of Health is “already” working “on the functional plan for the Torrevieja Hospital expansion project.”
“In fact, the plan is that before next summer we will present that functional plan which will include the healthcare services, beds, operating rooms and all the resources that the centre will have after the expansion, as well as the investment,” he told me.
External Consultations
Furthermore, given the “urgency and necessity” of expanding Torrevieja Hospital’s healthcare capacity, the Regional Ministry of Health has reiterated that it was already put out to tender in January for a contract worth 3.7 million euros for a modular expansion of the Outpatient Clinics and Rehabilitation Unit, as well as the expansion of the Haemodialysis area. The new Outpatient Clinics will open in September of this year, according to a Regional Government release.
In addition, the Rehabilitation section will have a larger gymnasium and consulting rooms for physiotherapists and rehabilitation specialists. Similarly, the Haemodialysis service will be expanded with eight more stations, which will be operational by the end of this year or early next year.
According to Gómez, this adaptable structure “allows for increased healthcare capacity in the hospital, since the relocation of certain services will free up space in the current center,” and it “will allow for ten more beds by moving the Rehabilitation unit from the second floor.”
In different phases
The Torrevieja City Council’s larger parcel of land will allow for expansion “in several phases.” In fact, the initial stage will be to install modular systems to allow for the immediate development of the aforementioned services. According to the Regional Ministry, the centre’s structural expansion, including the construction of new buildings, would then commence on this property.
“We are conscious of population increase in this health department, therefore we must plan not only for the now but also for the future. As a result, land will be set aside to enable future development if necessary, either to increase the range of services provided or to accommodate population growth,” Gómez concluded.
Author: Derek Appleton
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