Spanish Healthcare Chief Resigns Over Mammography Scandal

The head of healthcare in the Spanish region of Andalucía, Rocío Hernández, has resigned following revelations that hundreds of women with concerning mammography results were not diagnosed or contacted for further testing. This scandal prompted the local government to announce an emergency plan aimed at addressing the crisis.

On October 19, 2023, Juanma Moreno, the conservative president of Andalucía, accepted Hernández’s resignation and acknowledged significant mismanagement within her department. Approximately 2,000 women are believed to have undergone screenings but were not informed about the need for follow-up testing, despite showing signs that suggested further investigation was necessary. Some of these women had their screenings as far back as two years ago.

The regional government indicated that around 90 percent of the cases are linked to the Virgen del Rocío hospital in Seville, with additional cases reported in Málaga and Jerez de la Frontera. Moreno unveiled an emergency plan designed to enhance hospital radiology units, ensuring that affected women are informed of their results and receive the necessary follow-up tests by the end of November 2023. Carolina España, a spokeswoman for the local government, stated, “In the next seven or eight weeks, all the women will be tested.”

Despite the government’s assurances, representatives for the affected women contend that the issues were known long before they were officially acknowledged. According to Cadena Ser, a radio station that has been investigating the situation, complaints first emerged in early 2024, when several women reported not receiving feedback on their tests. Additionally, in the summer of 2022, the president of Amama, an association representing women dealing with breast cancer, alerted the former healthcare head about concerns regarding delays in diagnoses.

The situation escalated when more complaints surfaced in late September 2023. Initially, the Andalusian government claimed there were only three cases of women left without follow-up. Shortly thereafter, they revised this figure to approximately 2,000.

“The Andalucía Healthcare Service knew of problems with screening diagnoses, but they didn’t do anything about it for a year-and-a-half,”

said Manuel Jiménez, the lawyer for Amama, which is pursuing legal action against the regional healthcare service. He criticized the emergency plan as insufficient, noting that women may have to wait up to two months for testing.

Labour unions have also raised concerns regarding the local government’s ability to recruit additional radiologists necessary for the plan’s implementation. Andalucía currently has only 7.2 radiologists for every 100,000 inhabitants, the lowest rate among Spain’s 17 regions, while the national average stands at 9.15 per 100,000.

This scandal highlights the critical need for effective communication and timely medical responses in healthcare systems, reflecting the serious implications of administrative failures on patient care and safety. As the government moves forward with its emergency plan, the focus remains on ensuring that all affected women receive the follow-up care they need.