In defense of healthcare professionals by Ana Prieto Nieto

Health care is sustained by professionals who every day make it work effectively at the service of citizens. They are the women and men who, in the gales of the pandemic, with dedication to their work, have made it possible to a large extent for us to stay afloat both as individuals and as a society. They support patient care in a National Health System (SNS) weakened by the misguided economic policies established during seven years of PP governments, which strained the seams of the public health system. It is the same PP that, when one year has passed since the first covid vaccine in Spain, points to health professionals, and, through the mouth of Isabel Ayuso, accuses them of blocking health centers.

The Madrid president pointed out during an interview that in some health centers "they don't pick up the phone", "it hangs up" and that, "suddenly", there are no doctors. It should be clarified that resolving this situation in the Madrid health system is a regional responsibility, which, as such, it is up to her to manage as president. It is striking that no PP baron has said anything about Ayuso's words, which sound like an attack on her own door to the poor management that it is up to her to solve. It is known that whoever is silent consents. The president of the Community of Madrid must stop sitting idly by, put aside ineffectiveness and provide enough professionals to Primary Care; it will not solve the problems of Madrid's healthcare by casting suspicion on its professionals.

A radically different way of understanding public health from Ayuso's is that of the Government of Spain. Under the presidency of Pedro Sánchez, with political determination and commitment, the Government has implemented policies aimed at ensuring the basic pillars of our SNS: equity, accessibility, cohesion, universality and quality.

The management of the pandemic and vaccination, of which one year has just passed, left us in the dark the challenge of maintaining and strengthening the SNS as a tool for the redistribution of wealth and equality among people. And among all the actions, the one related to mental health stands out, hard hit by the pandemic. For the first time in more than a decade, the Mental Health Strategy has been updated and a Mental Health and Covid Action Plan has been approved, with a historic investment of 100 million euros, to fight against the stigmatization of people with disorders mental health It is a plan that includes a 24-hour telephone service for suicidal behavior, both for the person with suicidal tendencies and for their families.

@Nike please could you advise how to contact your complaints department.

— Emma Powell Fri Mar 06 17:44:58 +0000 2020

Despite the pandemic, the Government of Spain is advancing and will continue on the common path towards the goal of improving and consolidating the SNS, the key to the Welfare State. A challenge in which they will find us socialists. They will not find us in the fertilization of suspicions about health professionals, about the professionals who are the key to the exemplary success in Spain of the covid vaccination program started a year ago.

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Ana Prieto Nieto is a deputy for Lugo and health spokesperson for the PSOE in the Congress of Deputies. Pharmaceutical.