Staff at the Costa del Sol Hospital in Marbella, Spain, are living in motorhomes and camper vans on the hospital parking lot because they cannot afford nearby rental housing. The CSIF union reports that a room costs around 600 euros, which can eat up to 80% of a salary. Some temporary workers are turning down contracts as the work becomes unprofitable.
The situation worsened in February 2025 when a dedicated bus service from Málaga was cancelled. Employees now face a choice between sleeping in a camper on site or commuting hundreds of kilometres daily.
CSIF is urging hospital management to temporarily use the Marbella Public Holiday Residence, located 3.5 km away, to house staff. However, the building was recently handed over to a hotel chain, complicating the plan. The union warns that staff shortages could overwhelm the hospital this summer as patient numbers rise and holiday replacements become impossible to find.