Spain Advances Healthcare Reforms: Basque Public Abortion Services Expansion and Bereavement Leave Extension
Spain moves forward with healthcare and labor reforms including Basque public abortion service integration and expanded bereavement leave.
- • The Basque Health Service (Osakidetza) will fully integrate abortion services into the public system by 2026, reducing payments to private clinics by 500,000 euros next year.
- • Breast cancer screening age will be lowered to 45 years by 2027 in the Basque region to improve early detection.
- • Spain plans to extend bereavement leave from two to ten days for deaths of first-degree relatives, adding new caregiving and euthanasia accompaniment leaves.
- • Employer groups oppose the leave reforms citing business strain, but the changes reflect a societal shift toward workplace compassion and support.
Key details
Spain is currently witnessing significant reforms in its healthcare and labor policies, aimed at enhancing public health services and workers' rights. In the Basque Country, the regional health service Osakidetza announced it will fully integrate abortion services into its public healthcare system within two years, progressively taking over all abortion cases it currently refers to private clinics. Health Minister Alberto Martínez stated this shift will be completed by 2026, reducing the public expenditure on private clinic payments—currently at 1.2 million euros annually—by 500,000 euros next year. This initiative also includes lowering the breast cancer screening age to 45 years by 2027 to address the rising incidence of aggressive tumors among younger women.
Simultaneously, Spain’s national labor policy is set to transform bereavement and caregiving leaves substantially. Plans are underway to extend bereavement leave for the death of first-degree relatives from two to ten days, reflecting a broader sensitivity to the emotional and practical challenges of grief. Additionally, a new 15-day paid leave for workers caring for family members in palliative care will be introduced, with the flexibility to take these days intermittently over three months. A one-day paid leave for accompanying individuals undergoing euthanasia is also proposed. These reforms stem from agreements between the Ministry of Labour and major unions CCOO and UGT but face opposition from employer groups such as CEOE and Cepyme, who argue the changes might strain businesses. The reforms require parliamentary approval to become law amid efforts to garner support in a fragmented political environment.
These reforms represent a significant step towards enhancing the welfare and rights of Spanish citizens in healthcare access and workplace compassion. Osakidetza’s commitment to expanding public abortion services highlights a reinforcement of women’s reproductive rights in Euskadi, while the extended leave policies indicate a progressive shift in Spain’s work-life balance ethos. The measures underscore the government’s dedication to integrating social care within public services and labor rights frameworks.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
