Balearic Islands Health Minister Manuela García has accused the Socialist Party (PSIB-PSOE) of seeking political advantage from serious incidents at Ibiza’s Hospital Can Misses, including the death of a 64-year-old patient who was found dead while admitted to the hospital. The accusation was made during a parliamentary session on Tuesday 10 November 2026, in a heated exchange over patient safety and the management of the Ibiza and Formentera Health Area.

The debate was prompted by a question from Socialist deputy Irantzu Fernández, who asked whether the regional government could guarantee the safety of patients and healthcare professionals at the island’s hospitals. Fernández criticised the management of the health area, while García defended the measures taken by her department and described the attempt to gain political capital from tragic incidents as “immoral”.

The discussion also covered the repeated disruption to scheduled surgery at Formentera Hospital, where water leaks had forced the temporary suspension of planned operations.

García Says 40 Security Measures Have Been Implemented

Responding to Fernández’s criticism, García said that 40 actions to improve the safety of patients and healthcare professionals in the Ibiza and Formentera Health Area had been implemented between May and September 2026.

Among the measures she identified were increased night-time security, the creation of a security group working with advice from the National Police, access-card readers, anti-intrusion alarms and improved locking systems.

The minister also referred to the expansion of video-surveillance cameras and the installation of panic buttons in clinical and public-facing areas.

García said her department had a responsibility to guarantee safety and rejected the Socialist deputy’s criticism of its management. She accused the PSIB of lacking ethical standards and argued that serious incidents should not be used for political gain.

The figure of 40 measures was presented by García during the parliamentary debate. The minister did not provide a complete public breakdown of every action, its implementation date or the specific incident each measure was intended to address.

PSIB Questions Patient Safety After Serious Incidents

Fernández questioned whether patients and healthcare professionals could be adequately protected at Can Misses, referring to a series of serious incidents at the hospital.

These included the death of a 64-year-old patient in September and two sexual-assault cases involving women who were hospitalised at the centre.

The Socialist deputy argued that the incidents raised questions about the effectiveness of existing security arrangements and whether sufficient action had been taken to prevent further cases.

One of the sexual-assault cases dates back to March 2025, while another occurred in May 2026. The cases involved different circumstances and should not be treated as a single incident or as evidence of one common security failure.

The May 2026 incident prompted the hospital to introduce additional access controls. These included card-based entry at certain doors, an earlier closure of the main entrance to visitors and increased night-time security staffing.

The debate has therefore brought renewed attention to how the hospital controls access to its facilities and protects people who may be particularly vulnerable while receiving treatment.

September Death at Can Misses Remains Under Judicial Investigation

The most recent case discussed in Parliament concerns a 64-year-old woman who died while admitted to the Internal Medicine ward at Can Misses on 19 September 2026.

According to information released by the Ibiza and Formentera Health Area at the time, the patient had experienced a period of significant agitation and was under mechanical and pharmacological restraint. During a routine check at approximately 11:00, healthcare staff found her without signs of life in her hospital room.

Police and judicial investigations were launched to establish the circumstances of the death.

A man was subsequently arrested on 28 October in connection with the case. A judge ordered his provisional detention, with the possibility of release on bail. His identity and relationship with the patient have not been made public, and the investigation remains subject to judicial confidentiality.

The circumstances of the death have not been fully established publicly. It is also important not to assume that the case proves a failure of hospital security or that the security measures announced by García were all introduced in response to this particular incident.

Debate Extends to Formentera Hospital's Operating Theatres

The parliamentary exchange also addressed the recurring problems affecting the surgical area at Formentera Hospital.

Scheduled operations had been suspended again on 5 November after heavy rainfall caused further water ingress in the surgical area. The decision came just one day after the hospital had resumed planned surgical activity following an earlier suspension linked to the October DANA Adam weather system.

The hospital maintained its operating theatre for urgent and emergency procedures and childbirth, while planned operations were temporarily suspended as a precaution.

Fernández criticised the repeated disruption and questioned why the structural problems had not been resolved. She suggested that the operating theatres may have spent more days closed than open during the current parliamentary term.

García acknowledged that the hospital had structural deficiencies but argued that these were longstanding problems associated with insufficient maintenance over the previous eight years. She said emergency works had been approved on Friday 6 November to address the situation.

The Health Ministry had previously announced that it would bring forward a planned comprehensive renovation of the surgical area through an emergency contract, with the aim of preventing further disruption caused by rainfall.

Security and Hospital Infrastructure Remain Under Scrutiny

The parliamentary debate highlighted two separate challenges facing the public health system in Ibiza and Formentera: the protection of patients and healthcare workers at Can Misses, and the recurring infrastructure problems affecting surgical services in Formentera.

At Can Misses, the regional government points to the 40 security actions implemented between May and September, including changes to surveillance, access controls and emergency alert systems. The PSIB, meanwhile, argues that the succession of serious incidents raises questions about whether the existing arrangements have been sufficient.

At Formentera Hospital, the immediate priority is to address the water ingress affecting the surgical area and restore the safe provision of scheduled operations.

The parliamentary exchange did not resolve the political disagreement over responsibility for these problems. The effectiveness of the security measures at Can Misses and the outcome of the planned works in Formentera will remain important issues for the island's healthcare services.