Spain's Regional Health Services Boost Summer Staffing

The Basque Health Service (Osakidetza) has devised a summer contingency plan to balance staff vacations with continued primary‑care operations. About 62% of its 210 centres will keep normal hours, while roughly 30% will shorten shifts and 8% will close temporarily. The plan includes hiring newly qualified resident doctors and filling hard‑to‑cover positions to stabilise afternoon and rural shifts, with support from Continuous Care Points, emergency services and home visits.

In the Region of Murcia, the Health Service (SMS) will recruit more than 6,500 professionals for the summer, allocating an initial €37 million. The hiring surge adds about 455 physicians and over 4,000 non‑physician health workers, plus roughly 1,800 administrative staff. Specific reinforcements target coastal areas such as Mazarrón, Águilas, Los Alcázares and La Manga Norte, with 24‑hour medical and nursing coverage and advanced vital‑support teams. Of the 175 health centres, 170 will remain open—the highest number ever—ensuring continued care throughout the high‑demand period.