A campaign group in Torrevieja has appealed to the public to back a protest over what it says is the progressive deterioration of public healthcare and the collapse of Torrevieja Hospital. The Plataforma por la Sanidad Cien por Cien Pública y de Calidad says delays in the emergency department have reached up to sixty hours before patients are admitted to hospital.

The platform, supported by the nurses’ union SATSE, says these waits are up to eight times higher than the Valencian Community average and pose a serious risk to patient safety. It argues that pressure on emergency care is a symptom of wider problems, including staff shortages, insufficient resources and a lack of planning for a fast‑growing and ageing population.

Campaigners also criticise what they describe as two decades of frozen investment in health infrastructure across a department serving nearly a quarter of a million registered residents. They say promised projects, including health centre expansions and a second hospital for the area, have failed to materialise.

The group claims underfunding has led to increasing referrals to private healthcare providers, benefiting private companies while delaying treatment for patients. A protest has been called for Saturday 7 February at 11.30 am in Plaza de la Constitución in Torrevieja, where organisers will present ten demands, including higher funding, reduced waiting times and improved access to services.