Spain's Interterritorial Council of the National Health System postponed approval on Thursday of a new euthanasia good practices manual, at the request of Madrid's health counselor Fátima Matute. The document, technically agreed with the autonomous communities, included abbreviated processing for urgent cases. Instead, a new palliative care strategy was approved.
The Ministry of Health attended Thursday's Interterritorial Council aiming to approve the new euthanasia good practices manual, which introduced changes like abbreviated processing for the most urgent cases. However, Fátima Matute, Madrid's Health Counselor, requested its removal from the agenda.
Matute justified the request by the need to enrich the text with input from scientific societies and professional colleges, to achieve greater excellence in such a sensitive matter. Sources from the Madrid Department clarified that the manual does not address mental health and will be discussed at the next meeting. Matute also demanded the resignation of Minister Mónica García for failing to resolve the doctors' strike.
The manual extended postponement periods to six months, allowed temporary suspensions, and strengthened nurses' roles. It had been on the March 27 council agenda but was overshadowed by the union crisis.
The council did approve the new palliative care strategy, which starts early intervention for chronic patients focused on patient suffering. It also reached consensus on chronic kidney disease management, affecting 10% of the population, and measures against frailty in the elderly.
Earlier, Isabel Díaz Ayuso announced Madrid would challenge the royal decree restoring healthcare for irregular immigrants, calling it 'health tourism.' Minister García countered that rights ultimately prevail.
