Patients report under-use of Onkologikoa and ask to participate in decision-making forums
- “It seems silly, but taking the next appointment set out from the oncologist’s consultation serves to calm sleep,” the users say, and just as knowing that treatment planning is defined. “It gives the feeling that it is improvised; today it is a Ginkana to have cancer for all the procedures that have to pass.”
“The Oncologic of San Sebastian is no longer a monographic and referent center,” Onkologikoa has denounced the Committee of Patients and Users of the Hospital. At the hearing of Olatz Mercader and Sandra Barkaiztegi in the Health Committee of the Basque Parliament, at the request of the parliamentary group EH Bildu, first-hand cases were reported and raised concerns, needs and needs.
“We have known Onkologikoa as a monographic hospital: it was a living center, with easy access, with excellent care, quick and adequate deadlines… But it no longer exists, it is not a monographic center and has lost the reference”.
Mercadona and Barkaiztegi have insisted on the loss of referentiality of oncology in recent years. Mercadona says that when her mother was diagnosed with cancer ten years ago, she acted very differently in terms of functioning, care and deadlines, at least compared to what had been diagnosed in September 2020. “I had to walk through the five centers waiting for a phone call and with the feeling that the planning was not well defined. This causes a lot of stress. I've spent three hours waiting to access the medical consultation, it's not the worker's fault, it's that they don't have time. Lack of staff and proper organization.”
The testimony of a patient was collected by letter in the committee and pointed out that not all capacities and resources are used in Onkologikoa. According to him, 90% of Onkologikoa's hospitalization area is empty, used as a warehouse and Donostia Hospital's revenue is saturated.
Active participation
Mercader and Barkaiztegi have also highlighted the lack of guidance from the Onkologikoa Committee of Users and Patients, “little, where the wig has not been purchased”, and the need for “centralized patient functioning”.
It urges the parliamentary parties to “get to work from the edge” and stress that they want to be an active part as stated in the Cancer Plan of the Basque Country. They want the patient to be in the center to be heard. This year the current Oncological Plan will be extinguished, the next will be valid until 2029 and will be developed this year.
[Listen: several women affected by cancer (Min)try podcast in ARGIA.]
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