Letter from Dénia Health Department
As you may
recall from our post NEW PART TIME DOCTOR FOR BENITATXELL we quote “A few weeks
ago many residents of Benitatxell received letters in the post from the manager
of the primary health system run from Denia informing them of their change of
doctor. This was without warning or notification. OVFC informed Isabel of
the disquiet and distress that this had caused to some patients as they were
hit by yet another change, especially since it became evident that the new
doctor would not consult with patients in English”.
We published
in our post the correspondence from Councillor Isabel Garrido and her exchange
with the medical coordinator for our area, Ana Uceda.
On 31st July Isabel Garrido received this answer from Juan Puig Larrosa, Manager of the Dénia Health Department to her letter stating the language and cultural barriers of our large foreign population.
Answer from the Manager of the Dénia Health Department to Isabel Garrido, Councillor for Social Services and Health (Download the original letter in Spanish)
First of
all, we would like to thank you for sharing the concerns expressed by the
residents of Poble Nou de Benitatxell regarding the recent redistribution of
patient quotas following the addition of a new physician at their local health
center. We have taken note of the observations made.
As Law
8/2024, of December 30, of the Generalitat, clearly
states, the organization of healthcare resources must guarantee the principles
of proximity, accessibility, and equity.
Likewise,
Decree 114/2016, of July 1, of the Consell, regulates the criteria
for assigning patients to physicians, prioritizing geographic proximity to the
home and continuity of care.
However,
we fully agree on the need to pay special attention to the specific
characteristics of our population, including:
· 64% of foreign residents, many of them elderly with limited command of Spanish or Valencian.
· The importance of maintaining personalized treatment that fosters trust and adherence to treatment.
In this
regard, the regulations do not require physicians to know other foreign
languages. Although it is not a mandatory requirement, it is positively valued
in the selection process.
We will continue working to make healthcare as accessible and accessible as possible, in collaboration with professional teams and local entities.
We remain
at your disposal to maintain an open and constructive dialogue.
Sincerely,
Juan Puig Larrosa, Manager of the Dénia Health Department
Let everyone draw their own conclusions.
Well, we as civilians and neighbors who speak Spanish, could organize a group of volunteers called ' Help Benitachell ' who can accompany residents to the Centro de Salud.
ReplyDeleteA good start would be the meetings of Espacio Amigos where residents of la Cumbre del Sol can exchange ideas and experiences.
Payment would be the cost of petrol, a cup of coffee or a lunch, depending on the distance and the time dedicated.
Excellent idea!. I would like to suggest coordinating a Zoom videoconferencing service between the doctor, the patient and the translator through the social services department. This would provide greater flexibility, save time without the translator having to travel to the health centre.
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