The Hospital’s Institutional Revolt

Resentment over the director’s methods combines with anger over Alice’s treatment, culminating in a campaign that forces Samuel Alvar to resign.

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A Divided Staff

Reform and Resistance A new administration Samuel Alvar’s changes include fewer barred windows, patient workshops, and an open regime. Supporters see an effort to restore dignity; critics point to escapes, suicides, and preventable risks. Accumulating grievances Doctors and staff disagree about security, clinical practice, and the director’s authority. Alice’s increasingly harsh treatment gives older professional tensions a vivid and immediate focus.

The Anti-Alvar Campaign

A Collective Protest Personal grievances spread Alice speaks with staff and visitors about controversial decisions, including kitchen knives, disciplinary measures, and the director’s handling of patients. Her own confinement makes these issues emotionally concrete for people who already distrust Alvar. A petition takes shape Melitón Deza and others support a document requesting Alvar’s removal. Alice’s organizing is strategic, but it also aligns with genuine concerns about institutional policy and clinical responsibility.

Resignation and Transition

Leadership Changes A negotiated exit Alvar addresses the medical staff and offers to resign rather than be formally removed. He defends the humanitarian aims of his approach while acknowledging that his implementation has produced serious errors. A new director After Alvar leaves, the staff must decide both Alice’s medical future and the hospital’s leadership. Dolores Bernardos eventually becomes director, while the argument over freedom and clinical safeguards remains unresolved.

Before the extraordinary medical meeting

After Alice is transferred to the dementia ward

At the extraordinary meeting before Alice’s departure