Torrevieja is recruiting an additional 188 permanent medical positions!

The Valencian Region Ministry of Health (Conselleria de Sanidad de la Generalitat Valenciana) published a recruitment notice in the Official Gazette (DOGV) for 188 permanent positions in the Torrevieja Department of Health. The vacancies are for specialists with specialized medical training.

Of these 188 positions, 132 are at the Torrevieja University Hospital, and 56 are in the Primary Health Service (Atención Primaria). The goal is "urgent, stable, and permanent" recruitment to fill long-term and difficult-to-fill vacancies.

The law stipulates that 7% of the positions are reserved for people with a disability rate of ≥33%, while the remainder are open to all qualified candidates. Interested specialists can submit applications within 15 working days of the notice, with a separate application for each specialty.

Selection will be based on a merit-based system. Candidates are assessed based on criteria such as length of service in a similar position, relevant education, additional courses (e.g., at the Escuela Valenciana de Salud), language proficiency (Valencian or other EU languages), and other merits. The maximum score is 63. Priority is given to healthcare workers who have already worked in the system in hard-to-reach areas.

After the merit assessment, a preliminary list of eligible candidates will be compiled, followed by a final list, after which those applying will be able to select a specific position in order of priority. Appointments to permanent positions will be made based on the points earned and the order in which they are selected.

A similar, but broader, recruitment program is underway: a recently announced call for 902 vacancies for "personnel declared hard to reach" in the Valencian Community's healthcare system, including in Torrevieja.

This move comes amid public criticism of the inadequate provision of healthcare in Torrevieja, with many residents complaining of staff shortages and difficulties accessing medical services. The new recruitment wave is an attempt to ensure equal access to quality healthcare in the Valencian Community and to strengthen the healthcare system in areas with a chronic shortage of doctors.