Juan Leon Garcia
Further “shines” that “shades” in a first year “intense and exciting” of the Ministry of Health of the Community of Madrid. This is how the institution evaluates a balance that shows, according to data provided by regional government sources, 93% compliance with the program presented to the 2023 regional elections. Of the 69 projects announced for this legislature, 29 are already completed “to 100%” and another 35 are started “and arriving at a very good port”.
However, they point out from Madrid health, what has already been done will not mean turning the page, since attention will be maintained on the projects, both for their maintenance and improvement. And, on the other hand, achieving a hypothetical 100% compliance would not mean the end of the possibility of “present and see new projects to improve the health of the CAM”they specified during an informative breakfast held this Monday at the headquarters of the ministry.
The meeting with the media has also served to demonstrate the already evident differences that exist with the Ministry of Health, who has been criticized for selling more headlines than facts. What’s more, Madrid health sources blame Health for owing them “more than 520 million” in terms of drugs “high impact” not financed, already Interior, another 37.5 million euros for health care for the prison population. “What we are clear about is that we want to invest that money [el adeudado] in health”they add in this regard.
They urge to accelerate the approvals of non-EU citizens
Is he “Achilles heel” of the SNS and the autonomous systems: primary care, they emphasize from the counseling, “remains a priority”. Among what was promised, the program included the construction of 34 health centers throughout the four years of his mandate. Also, commit to research at this level of care.
In turn, the infrastructure will require more professionals, of which there is a “lack”, they acknowledge. For this reason, they affect the measures “monetizable and non-monetizable” short, medium and long term implementations to attract and retain talent. Among those announced in recent months, There are incentives for family doctors who practice in areas of difficult coverage or in rural areas, and accept rotations, with amounts ranging between 300 and 500 euros, depending on each case. Even more so at the gates of a summer that is expected to be empty in health centers if the quota that Madrid’s primary care hopes to cover is maintained: currently no more than 25% of the places are being occupiedconfirm regional sources.
If non-EU professionals were approved, they say, “at least 80%”. It is that point where they focus on one of the short-term measures: urging Health to coordinate with Education and approve the, at least, 5,000 titles that, according to the Spanish Federation of Ibero-American Doctors, are pending in the ministry’s drawers.
In parallel, they advance that they will try to “loyalize” to family doctors, pediatricians and nurses who finish their residency in September with three-year contracts “just finished”. And they warn: the wave of retirements that will come forces this rate to be replaced more quickly, and “Do not alleviate the missing professionals with summer and winter plans”.
Elena Fernández Cano, new Care Manager
It was at the beginning of June when the creation of a Nursing Management within the Madrid Health Service (Sermas), but it was not known who would lead it. Finally it will be Elena Fernandez Canograduated in Nursing from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), the care manager of Sermas. “A nurse with absolute experience not only in care but in management, and who will be part of this wonderful team”the same sources highlight.
Likewise, the specialty will have an important weight throughout the legislature, in line with the objective set by the ministry, which is to move towards a system that speaks “more of health than illness”. Although they emphasize that a more leading role for nurses “never” It will be to replace the lack of doctors. But yes for “enhance skills” especially in care, coordination and home and day care.
“Nursing has to be in the decision making and, before long, that nurse will be in management positions. She is always coordinated with other health professionals and with professional associations, among others”.
The technical center, first step of the ‘City of Health’
The CAM’s health megaproject, the ‘City of Health’ (about which the president of the CAM, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, offered new data this June) will begin to materialize through the technical center. This infrastructure will be responsible for supplying energy to the rest of the hospital complex to come. Then the next thing to be built will be the bunkers that house the proton therapy equipment (Madrid plans to have four teams, two in public health and another two, already active in private). He monographic children’s center in Oncology, “physically” Located in the La Paz hospital complex, it is another of the buildings that, they hope, will be built during this legislature. The latter will make up the network of comprehensive cancer centers, and will work as a network with all Sermas hospitals. “so that all patients benefit”they stand out.
A “global” milestone to come in ALS
Fragility policies also mark a strategic line for Madrid’s healthcare. Following the opening of the day care center for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the Hospital Nurse Isabel Zendal (with 50 patients already receiving care), two new openings are expected. One, at the beginning of 2026 in the old facilities of the Iron Gate Hospital. “A milestone in the world”they describe it from the counseling, by functioning as a day center for this group of patients. And, furthermore, the first floor of the Santa Cristina Hospital (which will open, in principle, in early 2025), where those people in palliative care will be referred, designed for long stays.
““We are going to become a European reference center for ALS research and treatment.”these sources advance, by concentrating the “largest sample” of patients in the country. Which will allow the investigation to be centralized.
Mental health, oral health, anti-drug plan…
Other plans in the brand include oral healthwhose program (endowed with 16 million) has already served some 1,600 seniors who have received around 2,980 actions (treatment of cavities or edentulous people who have received prostheses), from which 350,000 seniors could end up benefiting.
In pediatric patients, and through agreements with the Opticians-Optometrists councils, an initiative is developed so that Children with few resources who have visual defects can access glasses and that optical professionals can correct them “for free”.
In mental healththe 2022-2024 Plan is still in force, although they recognize that work is already being done “in which it will arrive”. Be that as it may, the Niño Jesús Hospital is the reference center with a monographic unit for children, being “one of the first in the world”. In that line work will be done to enhance day and home hospitalizations, “in cases where possible”. In total, there are already 14 new units and 21 suicide prevention teams made up of psychiatrists, psychologists and mental health nurses. Added to all this is the intention from the Ministry to open “ten new monographic devices” focused on eating disorders and borderline personality disorders.
And regarding the Regional Anti-Drug Planespecially focused on raising awareness among minors regarding the dangers of consuming cannabis and its derivatives, sources assure that “it is a railway line” on which work will continue. “In this regional anti-drug plan we want to keep our children and adolescents away from screens and any consumption of cannabinoid substances.”they reaffirm themselves.