MARBELLA’s main hospital is struggling with ‘severe’ staff shortages, unions have warned, as scores of workers quit over soaring rental costs in the Costa del Sol town.
Nurses and porters have been found sleeping in their cars and vans opposite the Costa del Sol University Hospital amid warnings that staff can no longer afford to rent homes in Marbella.
The crisis comes as the town braces for the busy summer season, with the Independent Trade Union Confederation of Civil Servants (CSIF) warning that the influx of visitors is likely to push rents even higher.
CSIF spokesperson Adrian Fernandez told Malaga Hoy that many workers are choosing to resign because they can neither find affordable housing in Marbella nor commute to the hospital by public transport.
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“People are resigning because the hospital is in the middle of nowhere, and there is no public transportation or any practical way for staff to get there,” Fernandez said.
He added that the bus services serving the hospital were ‘inadequate’ and ‘not compatible with healthcare workers’ shifts.’
“People coming from the surrounding areas cannot get to the hospital by the time their shifts begin,” Fernandez warned.
According to reports, around 30 hospital employees are believed to be sleeping in cars, camper vans and motorhomes parked in the staff car park, many having travelled from other parts of Andalucia to take up posts in Marbella.
One healthcare worker told the newspaper they slept with sheets covering the windows, the seat reclined and the window left open for ventilation, only to be woken by the heat and noise after a few hours’ rest.
Many rely on the hospital’s showers and cafeteria before returning to their vehicles after their shifts, while others bunch their working days together to spend as little time as possible living in the car park.
Fernandez said resignations have been mounting since before the summer, with many nurses, midwives and doctors turning down contracts or leaving early in search of jobs elsewhere.
According to the union, many hope to secure posts in cities such as Malaga, Granada and Cordoba, where housing is significantly more affordable than on the Costa del Sol.
While vacancies for porters and nursing assistants are usually filled, staff turnover remains relentless, Fernandez said.
“One replacement resigns and another has to be found, and so the cycle continues,” he added.
The Andalucian regional government insisted hospitals were adapting staffing levels to meet seasonal demand.
Officials said resources were being reviewed continuously to ensure patient care.
Regional authorities also stressed that decisions to reject or leave contracts were ‘personal and individual’ choices rather than the result of staffing policies.
The crisis comes close on the heels of a wave of nationwide hospital strikes earlier this year.
Doctors have been calling for better working conditions and higher wages as they threaten an indefinite walkout starting in September.
The Council of Ministers had approved a draft law restructuring working terms and conditions on June 2, but medical unions said they were not satisfied.
Health Minister, Monica Garcia, has stated that the government will not back down.
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