CCOO Warns of Healthcare Collapse at Tenerife II Prison Amid Staffing Crisis
The CCOO union has warned that Tenerife II prison’s medical services are at a breaking point due to severe staffing shortages and administrative instability, prompting calls for urgent intervention.
Healthcare at the Tenerife II prison has reached a breaking point, according to the CCOO union. The organization warns that the facility’s medical services are now unsustainable, making it difficult to manage chronic conditions or respond effectively to emergencies.
The crisis intensified following the recent dismissal of a trainee doctor who had already passed the necessary entrance exams. This departure leaves the prison with only two medical professionals: the deputy medical director and one interim physician. The union is questioning the reasons behind this dismissal, suggesting that internal management disputes—rather than professional shortcomings—may be the true cause.
This is not an isolated issue, but rather the latest example of administrative instability at the prison over the past six months. Union representatives have called on the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions to intervene immediately, arguing that the current staffing shortage places an unfair burden on remaining employees and compromises the inmates' right to healthcare.
Prison healthcare across Spain has struggled with a long-term shortage of medical staff, a problem made worse in island locations where recruiting is difficult. Under Spanish law, the administration is required to provide medical care equivalent to that of the public health system. The union warns that this is becoming impossible to achieve with such a skeleton crew. The future of the facility’s medical service now rests on the General Secretariat’s ability to resolve these staffing issues and restore essential care to the prison.