A report from the Ministry of Health reveals that 66% of nursing assistants in the Canary Islands have temporary contracts, a figure that places the archipelago as the third autonomous community in Spain with the largest number of these professionals, behind only Catalonia and Andalusia. Interim employment significantly outweighs permanent positions, especially in Specialized Care.
In Specialized Care, which accounts for the majority of the workforce, there are 5,560 interim TCAE compared to 1,182 permanent staff. In total, the Canary Islands has 8,821 active TCAE, of which nearly 94% work in hospitals. In Primary Care, out of 532 TCAE, 73 are permanent, 316 interim, and 143 temporary.
Juan Navarro, general secretary of FSS-CCOO in the Canary Islands, states that this high rate of interim employment leads many professionals to seek stability in other regions or sectors, hindering retention. Furthermore, he emphasizes the need to update the roles and professional recognition of TCAE to align them with current healthcare realities.
The increasing demand for care, due to an aging population and a rise in chronic diseases, means the Canary Islands needs more professionals, despite already having one of the largest workforces in the country. The national report estimates between 135,625 and 136,979 TCAE in the National Health System.
The main challenges for the collective in the Canary Islands include improving job stability, strengthening staffing levels, and responding to the constant increase in demand for care. These challenges are particularly significant due to the high prevalence of interim employment in the islands.
