Title: Sumar Coalition Presents Program Focusing on Public Health as a Pillar of Welfare Policies
Subtitle: A General Health and Well-being Law and a Great Pact for Health Proposed to Strengthen Spanish Public Health System
The Sumar coalition, led by Yolanda Díaz, the second vice president of the Government, has unveiled its program highlighting public health as a crucial component of its welfare policies. The coalition aims to prioritize the development of a General Health and Well-being Law, which will ensure integrated and structured healthcare from primary and community care levels. This law is part of a proposed “great pact for health, sanitation, and well-being in Spain” that would protect and shield the National Health System (SNS) from potential detrimental legislative reforms.
To establish a new governance structure between the Ministry and the autonomous communities, the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System will be redesigned. This new governance model will involve patient associations and social agents to ensure equity in the SNS and guarantee a basic portfolio of services, programs, and benefits across different regions.
The Sumar coalition also pledges to increase annual public healthcare spending by half a point of GDP until it reaches the average percentage spent on public healthcare in the top ten European countries. A significant portion of this increase will be allocated to strengthening primary and community care and public health services.
Addressing the importance of tackling chronic diseases, the coalition intends to promote a new law that regulates the condition of chronically ill individuals within the National Health System. They further propose the implementation of a waiting list law to establish maximum waiting times, ensuring a transparent and reliable waiting list record nationwide.
Acknowledging the need for improved working conditions and job stability for health personnel, the Sumar coalition plans to reform the Framework Statute and other related legislation governing professionals in the health sector. The aim is to eliminate temporary employment and establish rational working hours.
Highlighting the importance of mental health, the coalition presents a Mental Health Shock Plan that emphasizes a community perspective, interdisciplinary approaches, and consideration of social determinants. A National Plan against Suicide is also proposed to reinforce care dimensions and focus on living conditions and environmental interventions. Increasing the number of mental health professionals in the public health network and creating a continuity of care network based on community mental health centers and primary care centers are further initiatives included.
The program also includes a commitment to sexual and reproductive health, aiming to expand the range of contraceptives financed by the National Health System. Additionally, efforts will be made to address addiction through the increase of public spaces in therapeutic communities. The coalition also seeks to improve prison health by transferring regional powers and ensure the inclusion of individuals currently receiving healthcare through mutual private healthcare provisions.
The Sumar coalition intends to promote a State Pact for Mental Health to ensure institutional consensus and define financing for psychology professionals while implementing specific measures for youth mental health and suicide prevention, particularly within educational centers.
Overall, the Sumar coalition’s program offers a comprehensive approach to strengthen the Spanish public health system, with a focus on equitable access, improved care quality, and greater emphasis on mental health services.