Over 186,000 patients in Murcia to get a new doctor as more strikes are announced

The latest round of family doctor transfers will affect tens of thousands, as local doctors protest over staffing shortages and working conditions

More than 186,000 patients in the Region of Murcia will soon be seeing a new family doctor at their local health centre or clinic. The Murcian Health Service (SMS) has published the provisional list of family doctors accepted in the latest transfer round, a regular process that allows doctors to move to different centres for personal or family reasons.

In this round, 69 doctors are set to change workplaces, leaving vacancies that will be filled by temporary staff. Each doctor in Murcia currently looks after around 1,350 patients, meaning these moves will affect a significant portion of the population. While transfers help doctors balance work and personal life, experts warn that frequent changes can disrupt continuity of care.

These transfers come at a tense time for the region's healthcare. The CESM medical union has announced a regional strike in February, part of ongoing national protests, due to unfulfilled commitments from the Health Department. Doctors are demanding better staffing levels, fairer pay for evening and weekend work, protection during illness or parental leave, and limits on daily patient lists. Currently, the SMS is estimated to be short by around 500 doctors.

Doctors will strike across the region from February 16 to 20, starting with a demonstration at the Health Department on February 16 and ending with a march to the Palacio de San Esteban on February 20.

With tens of thousands of transfers and strikes coming, people in Murcia could see a new doctor at their clinic and they may experience some disruption to services because of the strike.

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