Health
Mijas and Fuengirola out-of-hours emergency service suffers lack of applicants, with doctors citing overwhelming workloadThe SUAP in the Las Lagunas serves a population of 180,000 people, which grows in the summer due to tourism
Añádenos en Google Members of the Malaga medical union during the press conference on Tuesday. (SUR)José Antonio Sau
21/07/2026 a las 14:56h.The Malaga medical union (SMM) held a press conference on Tuesday to denounce the "serious healthcare" deficiencies at the primary care emergency service (SUAP) in the Las Lagunas residential area in Mijas.
The union said a chronic shortage of staff has pushed the service to breaking point, blaming the Costa del Sol health system for failing to resolve a problem that has persisted for years.
The warning follows the latest recruitment round for newly qualified family doctors completing their specialist training. According to the union, not a single doctor accepted a post in the support units that keep the district's out-of-hospital emergency services running.
Of the 105 family doctor posts on offer, only six were filled. Meanwhile, none of the 36 vacancies in the support units that staff the area's out-of-hours emergency services attracted any applicants.
The SMM said that the Las Lagunas SUAP is the only out-of-hours primary care emergency centre serving both Mijas and Fuengirola, a combined population of more than 180,000 people that doubles or even triples during the summer as tourists arrive, placing even greater pressure on the service.
Heavy pressure
According to the union, the centre now treats around 300 patients a day. On some afternoons this July, a new patient arrived every five minutes. At times during the night, more than 30 people waited to be assessed, with waiting times stretching to six hours, while just one doctor and one nurse remained at the centre because the other teams were responding to emergency home visits.
"Doctors describe conditions similar to those seen during major casualty incidents, except that they continue for hours without any possibility of reinforcement," the union said.
SMM general secretary Ana María Duarte and Costa del Sol representatives Virginia Ortega and Antonio de la Cruz presented the figures at a press conference on Tuesday.
"Instead of strengthening this essential service, poor planning and the inability to attract healthcare professionals have pushed it to the point of collapse," the union said.
They added that throughout July the health district has issued almost daily internal appeals asking doctors and nurses to volunteer to cover vacant day and night shifts.
The union said that the latest recruitment figures show doctors are overwhelmingly unwilling to work in the district, highlighting the need to review working conditions, excessive workloads and the lack of incentives.
Jobs fail to attract applicants
According to the SMM, the problem goes beyond the nationwide shortage of doctors.
"The areas has failed to make these jobs attractive, while other health areas continue to fill their vacancies," the union said.
It also warned that overcrowding, long waiting times and staff shortages have led to an increase in abuse and aggression towards healthcare workers.
The union has called on the Andalusian regional government to provide additional staff for the Las Lagunas emergency unit, urgently review permanent staffing levels for doctors and nurses, introduce measures to recruit and retain healthcare professionals, assess the impact of excessive workloads on patient and staff safety, and hold an urgent meeting with trade unions.
SUR asked the provincial health authority for a response to the union's claims but had not received one at the time of publication.