Linea Directa 200 LEFT COL CAR INSURANCE

PROPERTY SEARCH

Date Published: 02/10/2026

Cancer checks, mental health support, vaccinations and care for older people are at the heart of the Region’s new seven-year strategy

Ambitious new health plan set up, which promises €858 million of investment between 2026 and 2032, with earlier cancer detection and better mental health care among its main priorities.

The plan, presented to the Governing Council by Health Minister Isabel Ayala, is intended to guide public health policy for the next seven years. It comes after a long gap, as the Region of Murcia has been without a health plan for a decade.

The previous strategy covered 2010 to 2015 and met only a little over 65% of its targets.

One of the clearest commitments concerns breast cancer screening. The Murcian Health Service currently offers the programme to women aged 46 to 72, but the aim is to extend this to all women aged between 45 and 74 by the beginning of next year.

Screening for bowel cancer is already in place, while a cervical cancer screening pilot is running in Health Area VII. The new plan aims to strengthen these early-detection programmes, helping identify cancer sooner.

Mental health care is another central concern, alongside support for people with chronic illnesses and complex health needs. The strategy proposes faster care routes, better links between primary and hospital care, and closer coordination between health and social services.

For older residents, the plan includes more stable home-care models through primary care, while health social work is to be firmly established as part of the system. The intention is to support not only patients but also their families, particularly where people are living with chronic illness or facing difficult circumstances.

Palliative care is also set to become available across every level of healthcare, with the plan stressing the need for dignified, comprehensive support and relief from suffering during the final or most complex stages of life.

Prevention features strongly too. A new adult vaccination strategy will aim to improve uptake throughout life, including among healthcare workers. The expanded vaccination schedule will cover protection against flu, human papillomavirus and shingles.

“Prevention doesn’t end in childhood, it should always be with us,” Ayala said.

The plan also sets out measures to encourage healthier lifestyles and active ageing, with a new strategy on overweight and obesity, as well as policies aimed at reducing tobacco and alcohol consumption.

Ayala described the document as a “clear roadmap” built around evidence, professional involvement and coordination across services. However, while the overall budget has been announced, the regional government has yet to explain how the yearly payments will be structured, at a time when it has no budget for this year and the Murcian Health Service deficit is growing.

image: AI generated

Linea Directa Bottom Article M-Z CAR INSURANCE

Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox

Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)