The Social Security medical inspectors, represented by the UGT union, have called for a strike on Monday, April 29th due to the unsafe working conditions they face and the heavy workloads they carry. These inspectors are responsible for assessing whether workers who have been on medical leave for over a year should continue or return to work. In addition to the strike, a gathering has been organized in front of the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security in Madrid.
The Federation of Public Services of UGT has emphasized that the recent increase in workload is a direct result of the removal of the Medical Court in disability proceedings and transferring responsibilities to individual medical inspectors. This change puts these doctors at risk and vulnerable as they lack sufficient security measures when dealing with complex sick leave cases, leading to physical and verbal attacks.
The workload for these inspectors has increased significantly due to this change, and there is currently a shortage of staff. According to worker representatives, there should be an almost 30% increase in staffing to ensure quality service to citizens. The disappearance of the Medical Courts a year ago has resulted in delays in resolving thousands of long-term disability cases, prompting previous strikes in various autonomous communities.
The strike is also influenced by salary conditions, with medical inspectors demanding fixed salaries and independence from the body that pays them their benefits. This conflict of interest has created additional tension among professionals in this field. Better planning and distribution of workloads, along with additional staffing, are critical issues that must be addressed for medical inspectors’ demands.
In conclusion, social security medical inspectors have called for a strike on April 29th due to unsafe working conditions and heavy workloads they face daily. The federation of public services highlighted that it was caused by removing the Medical Court and transferring responsibilities directly to individual doctors without proper security measures. They demand better planning, distribution of workloads and additional staffing to ensure quality service delivery while addressing their salary concerns as well.
