Transforming Andalusian health care

The Junta de Andalucía is preparing substantial changes to public healthcare in order to modernise it and adapt it to the present and future needs of the population. In the words of Antonio Sanz, vice-president of the Andalusian government and regional minister for healthcare and emergencies, they are going to “launch the largest transformation of the healthcare system in decades”.

Let’s hope that proves true. It is certainly needed - there is no doubt about that. What remains to be seen is how the reforms will be carried out, and how public healthcare services will be protected and strengthened to make them better, more agile, with shorter delays and easy access for anyone in need of care. In this matter, it is crucial that primary and hospital care are seamlessly coordinated, ensuring no barrier is erected between health centres and hospitals that creates obstacles to the care patients require.

The modifications intended for the Andalusian health service (Servicio Andaluz de Salud - SAS) are based on organisational, regulatory and technological reforms - actions that will go hand in hand with a digital revolution.

Overhauls of this scale must be implemented and channelled under the supervision and technical analysis of experts who thoroughly understand the reality of public healthcare in Andalucía, proposing solutions to ensure the service offered to citizens is excellent.

For this reason, an evaluation committee will be created, comprising prestigious experts, professional associations, scientific societies and trade unions.

The regional government’s priorities with these planned changes must be to reduce diagnostic and surgical waiting lists, provide SAS staff with sufficient tools to perform their work under ideal conditions, stem the exodus of professionals through stable contracts, expand the portfolio of services, and make the most of technological innovations and digitalisation.

Anything less would mean falling into the trap of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s famous line in that great novel Il Gattopardo, where one of the characters, Tancredi Falconeri, declares that if we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change.