The Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid stressed on Wednesday that it had not yet discovered “any non-compliance” by the Torrejon de Ardoz Hospital management company regarding “the obligations derived from the public service concession contract” but stressed that it “will adopt all procedures and controls that may comply with them.”
The department headed by Fatima Matute conveyed this information after El Pais newspaper published an audio recording of the intervention of the CEO of the Ribeira Health Group, Pablo Gallart, in a meeting with about twenty managers from the group and the hospital on September 25.
“In Torrejón, in years 22 and 23, we decided as an organization to make an effort to reduce the waiting list. The only thing I ask is: let’s retrace our path,” Gallart says in this audio recording. Likewise, it urges “iterations” (adjustments) to “achieve EBITDA of four or five million,” according to the audio recording published by this newspaper.
PSOE-M and Más Madrid announced on Wednesday that they are preparing legal action against the government of Isabel Díaz Ayuso against the practices of the concessionaire of the Hospital Torrejón de Ardoz that seeks to “increase its economic benefit.” From the Ministry of Health, after learning about the content of this audio recording, a multidisciplinary team was mobilized to go to the hospital to “verify “on site” that the service was adequately provided in all its areas.” Likewise, an urgent meeting was called with the administrative leadership of the company Ribeira Salud.
The administration headed by Fatima Matute stressed, in a statement, that following the results of both procedures, the ministry “will adopt all procedures and controls that may apply.” “Under no circumstances will any type of actions or practices that could harm access to healthcare, which will always be provided with the highest quality and under equal conditions in all hospitals of the Madrid Health Service (SERMAS),” they stressed.
In any case, it insisted that it had the necessary mechanisms in place to “ensure adequate assistance” and stressed regular follow-up meetings with the group’s management team.
In a press conference following the government council, the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Local Administration, Miguel Ángel García Martín, confirmed that “as many clarifications as possible” would be requested and stressed that the care provided in all hospitals in the region was “excellent.”
“The Ministry of Health is always at the helm of every hospital, regardless of the type of management it has to achieve excellent care for all citizens, and it stands to reason that Torrejon Hospital is no exception,” the regional government spokesman said.
He pointed out that the Ministry’s team is “in constant contact with all hospitals,” stressing that good care is provided in Madrid hospitals “regardless of the way they are managed.” The spokesman stressed that “this is not new. Rather, the Ministry of Health, through its various departments, is permanently present to monitor the health care and hospital care that the people of Madrid receive in every hospital,” stressing that the care provided in the hospital centers is “excellent,” which shows “the confidence that the people of Madrid show” in the public health system.