More than 35 homeless people have barricaded themselves inside Palma’s Son Espases hospital, especially in the emergency area, causing multiple violent incidents, aggressions, unhealthy conditions, sexual scenes in front of minors and constant confrontations with security and healthcare staff.
This is not the first time this has happened and the finger is being pointed at the neglect and passivity of the former management which has allowed the hospital to become a refuge for homeless people.
The homeless have practically barricaded themselves in the emergency and radiology areas and have taken over the bathrooms (where they even take showers), waiting rooms and other hospital areas.
They have also set up some shacks and accumulated rubbish in the A&E car park making it uncomfortable for public health users, patients, workers and relatives.
They are mostly young people of all nationalities. Many of them are drug addicts and alcoholics.
Health sources consulted by the Bulletin stablemate newspaper Ultima Hora said: “They have been roaming freely for years. The former management allowed them to stay here on condition that they were out by seven in the morning. In a matter of months the situation got out of hand. What’s more, the NGOs bring them food.”.
The current management has put the case in the hands of the National Police.
Sources close to the case have confirmed they are studying measures to prohibit entry to any person who is not a patient, relative or member of the hospital staff.