Cantabria Faces Delays in Breast Cancer Screening, Outsourcing Mammogram Readings
Cantabria’s breast cancer screening program, which provides check-ups every two years for women aged 50 to 69, is experiencing significant delays. As of July 30th, results are pending for 3,907 Cantabrian women, with an estimated wait time of two months.
To address the backlog, the Cantabrian health Service has announced it will outsource the reading of 1,000 already-completed mammograms to the X-ray Unit at Santa Clotilde hospital. Health officials have indicated they may expand this outsourcing arrangement if necessary.
The delays stem from a shortage of expert radiologists specializing in breast imaging. The valdecilla hospital team, responsible for analyzing the screening mammograms from the program’s 14th round which began in 2024, has experienced recent departures, including a retirement and a transfer.
The decision to outsource has drawn criticism from opposition parties.The PSOE attributes the issue to a “lack of will” within the Ministry, rather than a simple shortage of personnel, and objects to sending work to a private facility. The PRC also strongly opposes the outsourcing,labeling it a “patch” and warning it could be the first step towards privatizing the breast cancer early detection program.
PRC Health spokesperson, Paula Fernández, criticized regional president María José Sáenz de Buruaga (PP) for not following the example of the Andalusian regional president, Juanma Moreno, who accepted the resignation of his Health Minister following issues with breast cancer screening.
