Reflecting on its past, Son Dureta stands as a silent witness to decades of healthcare evolution in Palma de Mallorca. Son Dureta began its life in the 1950s. The vision was to create a modern medical facility on the island.
In the late 1940s, architect Martín José Marcide Odriozola was entrusted with this ambitious project. He selected the old Son Dureta estate as the ideal location. Construction commenced in 1949, marking the beginning of a new chapter for healthcare on the island.
Son Dureta first opened its doors on November 16, 1955. It was originally named Residencia Sanitaria Virgen de Lluc. The hospital started with 300 beds and a team of 150 dedicated workers. Among them were 60 nurses including 13 nuns from the order of Saint Vincent de Paul, who resided within Son Dureta. Initially, only two resident doctors were present. Other physicians visited as needed and were compensated per medical act.
In 1960, the Virgen de Lluc Nursing School was established here. However, Son Dureta did not receive official accreditation for postgraduate training until 1976. Since then, Son Dureta has trained over 2,000 nurses and 803 resident doctors. An expansion in 1977 added Pavilion B for maternity and Pavilion K for outpatient services.
A major shift occurred in 1986. Before this, a director, administrator, and head nurse managed the hospital. That year, a managing director was appointed. They oversaw the medical, nursing, management, and general services departments. This organizational change was part of a broader trend in Spanish hospitals.
The hospital continued to be known as Virgen de Lluc. In 1987, it was finally renamed Son Dureta.
For over 40 years, Son Dureta was Mallorca’s only public hospital, except for the old General Hospital and the Joan March Hospital. These were owned by the Balearic Islands Provincial Council. It wasn’t until 1997 that the Manacor Regional Hospital opened. Then in 2001, Son Llàtzer Hospital was inaugurated. More hospitals followed, such as the Inca Regional Hospital and the Mateu Orfila General Hospital.
Despite some controversies, construction began in 2007 on a new hospital. This was intended to replace Son Dureta as the main hospital for the Balearic Islands. The new Son Espases University Hospital was delivered to the regional government on October 10, 2010.
Outpatient care began in November 2010. The final patients were moved from Son Dureta between December 19 and 22, 2010. Throughout 2011, the new hospital gradually increased its services to full capacity.
The last departments to move to Son Espases were Nuclear Medicine in May 2011 and Radiotherapy in November of the same year. Today, Son Dureta is set to become a social healthcare center for the elderly, offering specialized care and rehabilitation. Son Dureta has been the reference public hospital for the people of the Balearic Islands for over fifty years.
As you stand here, remember the countless lives touched within these walls. Son Dureta’s legacy endures in the healthcare professionals it trained and the community it served.