Isabel Díaz Ayuso closes the health crisis that shook the last legislature. The Government of the Community of Madrid, which approved this Tuesday the draft budget for 2024, has increased the amount dedicated to primary care by 25% and has increased investment in health to above 10,000 million euros, which represents a record number in the region. This increase occurs a year after the outbreak of the conflict, with doctors and pediatricians on strike due to lack of staff and poor working conditions.. “Social spending accounts for almost nine out of every ten euros to reinforce public services,” boast the regional Executive, which works to avoid a contagion effect in other areas such as education..

Ayuso's first budgets with an absolute majority are focused on alleviating this problem. At the end of the last term, health became the main concern of the people of Madrid and the Achilles heel of the Executive, with two massive demonstrations. The starting point is now to resolve these shortcomings, especially in primary care, which is one of the most affected services.. The budget foresees a total of 2,572 million euros for this item, which represents a considerable increase compared to the latest accounts, from 2022 and extended.

The total budget for health amounts to 10,157 million euros, the largest in the history of the Community of Madrid, with 16% more. Criticism from health professionals, however, has not been completely silenced. The Amyts union, which promoted the mobilizations last year, reiterates that the situation in the Out-of-Hospital Emergencies is bad a year after the reform undertaken by the Ministry of Health, which caused the first mobilizations and fueled the subsequent health crisis..

Doctors insist that the teams do not have all the strength. “The reform caused an unprecedented earthquake with the closure of centers, amortization of their positions, reorganization of professionals, reduction in working and healthcare conditions and even the disappearance of more than 250 positions for doctors, without forgetting the beginning of health care without presence of doctor. Where before there were 480 doctors, there are now 226,” they say in a statement..

The Community of Madrid, which has always criticized the political interests of the protests, knows that there are points to improve, such as the length of waiting lists.. But at the same time it boasts of the enormous investment, with several projects underway. The Ayuso Executive foresees an investment of 76 million euros for the construction of 19 new health centers, in addition to large plans such as the center for ALS patients at the Isabel Zendal Nursing Hospital. Also the Mental Health and Addictions program, which will have a strategy for the care of children and adolescents.

The Madrid budgets also meet the demand due to the lack of personnel. At least in theory. Regional sources indicate that the forecast is to incorporate 14,000 professionals as permanent statutory personnel. “Stability and recognition of the professional career for temporary staff will continue to be prioritized,” they point out..

“Record in teasing”

The opposition, however, is suspicious of the real impact of the accounts on healthcare.. Más Madrid, the first party of the left in Madrid, criticizes that the more than 10,000 million euros are “insufficient”, given that the real expenditure exceeds that figure. “Ayuso boasts of budgets with a “historic record in healthcare” and I wish it were true. It promises 10,157 million, when last year it invested 11,248 million that were already insufficient. He practically promises health centers without doctors again. Historical record for teasing,” criticized Mónica García in X (formerly Twitter).

Ayuso boasts of budgets with a “historical record in healthcare” and I wish it were true. It promises 10,157 million, when last year it invested 11,248 million that were already insufficient. He practically promises health centers without doctors again. Historical record in teasing.

— Mónica García (@Monica_Garcia_G) October 31, 2023

The PSOE, for its part, has reacted with a battery of initiatives that it hopes will be included in the final budgets, which will be debated in the Madrid Assembly in the coming weeks.. The socialist spokesperson, Juan Lobato, has detailed that the training will try to include measures such as the opening of schools from seven to seven or free cafeterias for families with incomes below 35,000 euros, among others..

Más Madrid has also presented its own amendments, focused on issues such as a regional scholarship of 400 euros per month to study outside of Spain or an aid of 100 euros for students in vulnerable situations..

The Minister of Economy and Finance, Rocío Albert, detailed during the press conference after the Government Council that the budgets provide for a salary increase for senior officials of the Administration, which had been frozen for several years.. This is not the case of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who will maintain the same remuneration as in the last year: 103,090.32 euros per year.. “Not a single euro is increased with respect to the Budget that was established in 2023 and which has been frozen since 2010,” said Albert.

Possible contagion effect

The beginning of the legislature has threatened with a contagion effect in other areas, especially in education. As this newspaper reported, unions and parents' associations have already warned that they are willing to take to the streets in the face of the problems of the system, evidenced in issues such as the delay in the award of dining scholarships, which have finally been given to all applicants without exceptions, or the start of the course without teachers in the classrooms.

The accounts, which amount to 27,558 million euros, also foresee an increase in spending on education. According to the project approved this Tuesday in the Government Council, a total of 6,412 million euros will be allocated, 12.2% of the last precedent. The objective of the Ministry, headed by Emilio Viciana, is to expand the offer at all levels and increase scholarships and study aid, with an increase of 36%: 248 million euros. Those dedicated to the dining room, which have generated so many problems, have increased by 160%, with an allocation of 62 million. “They are prudent and realistic public accounts that will allow progress in policies to support families, giving priority to health, education, and care for the most vulnerable population,” they underline in Sol.