Health union demands urgent investigation following claims of irregularities in Axarquia hospital laboratory

Spain's Central Sindical Independiente y de Funcionarios (CSIF) trade union has demanded that the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) open an urgent investigation into the laboratory at the Axarquía hospital in Torre del Mar on the eastern Costa del Sol due to the alleged use of unstable reagents. According to the union, if they are being used, they could compromise the reliability of the analytical results of thousands of patients.

In a statement issued on Wednesday 18 February, CSIF highlighted that reagents that should be discarded, according to the established protocols, are being used. Furthermore CSIF claims that they are being used under the alleged indication of middle management of the service, who would have told staff that their use "has no consequences".

According to the union, this practice could have been going on for some time and could have become part of routine laboratory practice, despite the fact that analytical results are crucial for diagnosis and medical treatment. The union warns that the use of unstable reagents can lead to altered values - high, low or false - with the consequent risk to patient safety.

CSIF claims to have sent a letter to the hospital management requesting "an urgent investigation" to determine the extent of these alleged irregularities and to clarify responsibilities, both for the possible health risk and for the pressure exerted on the professionals.

Among the practices denounced, the union points to an alleged falsification of the labelling of reagents that the machines detect as unstable, by placing new labels on top of the original ones. It also refers to the reuse of valid containers filled by transferring or 'pipetting' unstable liquids in order to circumvent the control system of the automated equipment.

The protocols of the distributor of these reagents, corresponding to the Siemens Atellica system, state that in the event of a loss of stability, the product must be discarded immediately, as accurate and reliable clinical results are not guaranteed. The machines themselves prevent calibration when they detect this circumstance, precisely to avoid errors in the tests.

In addition to the possible technical irregularity, CSIF denounces an "unbearable atmosphere" in the laboratory, with alleged reprimands, shouting and even threats towards professionals who refuse to follow these guidelines. The union claims that this situation has created a climate of uncertainty and concern among the staff.

For all these reasons, the union has formally requested the immediate dismissal of the two middle managers it considers "directly responsible" for these alleged practices and has warned that, if an independent investigation is not initiated, the management could be participating in a possible fraudulent action that would affect thousands of users of the public health system in Axarquia.

Laboratory professionals at the Axarquía hospital have "categorically" denied CSIF's accusations on a video posted on social media and have rejected having received "pressure from middle management". In the video they stress that the accusations "cast doubts on the professionalism of the laboratory service".

"After gathering preliminary information, the directorate management of the health area has no evidence of the practices described by the CSIF union," said sources from the Junta de Andalucía's health delegation in Malaga.