Healthcare professionals working in public hospitals across the Balearic Islands, including Ibiza's Can Misses Hospital and Formentera Hospital, will be able to request voluntary 12-hour shifts under a new agreement approved by the Balearic Health Sector Negotiating Committee on 9 November 2026.

The agreement establishes a common procedure for introducing longer shifts in hospital departments belonging to the Balearic Islands Health Service (IB-Salut). However, the changes will not automatically apply to every department. Each interested unit must first demonstrate broad support among its staff and undergo an evaluation before the new working arrangements can be introduced.

The framework also allows different shift patterns to operate within the same department, depending on organisational requirements and the preferences of healthcare professionals.

12-Hour Shifts Will Be Voluntary

The new agreement is intended to provide greater flexibility in the organisation of hospital working hours and respond to requests from healthcare professionals.

According to the Balearic Government, the measure aims to improve working conditions and workplace relations while making it easier for staff to balance their professional and personal lives.

Under the procedure, departments interested in introducing 12-hour shifts must receive broad support from their teams. A preliminary assessment will then examine whether the proposed arrangement is suitable for the service.

Implementation will also be followed by ongoing monitoring to assess its impact on patient safety, the quality of healthcare and staff working conditions.

The agreement does not require every employee to move to a 12-hour schedule. Instead, different working arrangements may coexist within the same service, allowing staff preferences to be considered alongside the operational needs of each department.

What the Agreement Means for Can Misses and Formentera

The new framework applies to hospital units within the IB-Salut public health service, which includes Can Misses Hospital in Ibiza and Formentera Hospital.

However, the approval does not mean that 12-hour shifts will immediately become standard at either hospital.

Individual departments will need to express interest, obtain sufficient support from their teams and complete the required evaluation before any changes are introduced.

Formentera Hospital has previously considered 12-hour shifts for certain emergency department reinforcements during the tourist season. The newly approved agreement establishes a broader procedure that can be used by hospital units across the regional health service.

At Can Misses, the possibility of different shift arrangements comes amid ongoing discussions about staffing levels and working conditions. The new agreement provides an additional organisational option, although its introduction will depend on the circumstances and agreement within each department.

Changes to Professional Career Progression

The Health Sector Negotiating Committee also approved changes to the professional career progression system used by IB-Salut.

One of the measures will allow a simplified assessment procedure for the 2026 professional career cycle. This arrangement will remain in place temporarily until the ordinary evaluation system established under the new model has been fully implemented.

The agreement also introduces an extraordinary classification procedure for permanent employees who move into a higher professional category.

Under this mechanism, eligible workers will be able to have professional experience accumulated in previous positions recognised when their career progression is assessed.

The change is intended to ensure that relevant experience gained throughout an employee's working history can be taken into account when determining professional development.

Improved Paid Leave for Humanitarian Emergencies

A further change concerns healthcare professionals who participate in humanitarian missions and international emergency responses.

Under the revised arrangements, healthcare workers taking part in these missions will retain 100% of their remuneration during the first month.

The agreement also provides for simpler authorisation procedures to make it easier for medical professionals to respond to disasters, humanitarian crises and international emergencies.

The aim is to facilitate participation in humanitarian operations while improving the employment conditions available to healthcare workers who volunteer for these assignments.

A New Framework for Public Hospital Working Arrangements

The agreement approved on 9 November introduces three areas of change across the Balearic public health service: voluntary 12-hour hospital shifts, adjustments to professional career progression and improved conditions for participation in humanitarian emergencies.

For Ibiza and Formentera, the most immediate interest is the possibility of introducing longer shifts in individual hospital departments. However, the changes will depend on staff support, organisational feasibility and the required assessment of patient safety and healthcare quality.

The approval establishes the procedure for introducing these arrangements. It does not mean that all hospital staff will move to 12-hour shifts or that the new schedules are already operating across Can Misses and Formentera hospitals.