The authorities of Andalucía have announced major changes to the breast cancer prevention system. After serious delays in mammography screenings came to light, the regional government decided to urgently increase the number of specialists and allocate additional funding to address the issue.
In the coming weeks, 119 new staff members will join the workforce, working not only on weekdays but also on weekends and public holidays. The main goal is to complete all necessary examinations for women whose screenings were postponed by the end of November. The process is expected to take about two months. Most of the new specialists will be assigned to the Virgen del Rocío Hospital in Sevilla, where most delays have been reported. The rest will reinforce medical teams in Málaga and Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz).
Twelve million euros have been allocated for the emergency plan. Authorities emphasize that the new staff will remain for at least one year to prevent similar problems from recurring. The new hires include radiologists, nurses, diagnostic technicians, and support personnel. Nevertheless, government representatives are in no hurry to name staff shortages as the main cause of the delays. Final conclusions regarding the reasons for the delays are still pending.
In response to criticism from patient organizations, authorities have also decided to revise the protocols for informing women about their test results. Previously, patients only learned about inconclusive findings when they were invited back for further diagnostics. Now, the plan is to notify everyone whose tests require clarification, in order to avoid misunderstandings and reduce anxiety among women. Officials say that calls to patients with inconclusive results will be completed in the coming days.
The scandal over delays in breast cancer diagnostics has sparked a strong public reaction in Andalusia. Authorities promise that the new measures will not only resolve the accumulated issues but also improve the quality of prevention in the future.
