Mallorca: Son Espases cuts surgery as 69 wait
On Mallorca, 69 people wait for a hospital bed at Son Espases in Palma: the hospital cancels Wednesday’s planned operations to ease pressure on emergency care. Cancer surgery and priority operations will still go ahead. The Balearic Islands Department of Health announced the move on Tuesday after two weeks of higher demand.
Emergency visits top 500
On eight days during those two weeks, more than 500 people attended the emergency department. The hospital’s annual average is 475 a day.
The Balearic Islands Health Service says the rise coincides with the start of the respiratory virus season, including flu and Covid. Most of the patients are older people with respiratory conditions, it says.
Making room for patients
Son Espases will bring forward operations for patients already in hospital and waiting for surgery, to free beds. It will also reduce planned admissions, make beds available sooner after patients are discharged and expand care at home.
On 19 October, 34 beds were made available at Hospital Verge de la Salut for Son Espases patients with multiple conditions. The hospital has also requested transfers to Hospital General and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu.
A post-surgery observation unit opened at Son Espases this year has eight beds for stays of less than 24 hours. The hospital says it frees up around 32 ward beds a week.
Topics: Health
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com