Castilla-La Mancha opens citizen participation for its cancer plan

The Regional Ministry of Health of Castilla-La Mancha has agreed to initiate the participatory process for the design of the Castilla-La Mancha Cancer Plan 2026-2030, which will open a period of 20 calendar days for citizens to submit their contributions. This is established by the Resolution of 08/13/2026, of the General Secretariat, published in the Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha (DOCM) number 159, of August 20, 2026, with official reference [2026/6124].

The agreement is adopted under Law 8/2019, of December 13, on Participation of Castilla-La Mancha, which regulates the participatory processes for the design and planning of public policies and services. As it is not included in the Annual Citizen Participation Program, the procedure is initiated ex officio by the regional Administration, with the competence belonging to the General Secretariat of the Regional Ministry of Health.

A national and regional strategic framework

The plan is based on the Cancer Strategy of the National Health System (2021 Update), a central document that defines objectives, priorities, and lines of action in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. At the regional level, the deployment of the Castilla-La Mancha Health Plan Horizon 2025 has allowed for the transformation of health institutions, and the new planning Health Plan H3.0 is in its final design phase, consolidating an approach centered on health rather than disease.

In recent years, the region has achieved a quantitative and qualitative leap in resources for prevention, early diagnosis, and oncological treatment, thanks to investment in infrastructure, equipment, high technology, and trained personnel. The new plan seeks to guarantee comprehensive, coordinated, and patient-centered care.

Phases of the participatory process

The process will be structured into four phases, with a maximum duration concluding before October 31, 2026:

• Information phase: a first draft of the plan will be published on the Participation Portal.
• Citizen contribution phase: a period of 20 calendar days, with start and end dates indicated on the Participation Portal.
• Feedback and completion phase: a final report of conclusions will be prepared with the results of the contributions.
• Accountability phase: an account will be given of which opinions and suggestions have been valued in the resulting public policy.

Five axes and a survey

Contributions will be organized around five axes of the draft:

• Axis 1: Promotion and prevention.
• Axis 2: Comprehensive oncological care and humanization.
• Axis 3: Sustainable resources and organizational structure.
• Axis 4: Information and evaluation systems.
• Axis 5: Communication.

Additionally, a survey is incorporated to gather the general population’s opinion on oncological disease and the main response measures from health institutions. The draft is based on the previous work of a large number of reference professionals in Primary Care, hospital specialties, public health, and social-health care, from both the Regional Ministry of Health and the Castilla-La Mancha Health Service.

How to participate

Participation will be channeled through the Castilla-La Mancha Participation Portal (participacion.castillalamancha.es), where any citizen, legal entity, or citizen platform may make their contributions to the draft. The publicity of the process will be completed through the “Transparency and Participation” thematic page of the JCCM Institutional Portal. The responsible unit is the General Secretariat of the Regional Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Citizen Participation Service of the Office of Transparency, Integrity, and Participation.

The plan, signed in Toledo on August 13, 2026, by the general secretary Inmaculada Gutiérrez Ramírez, represents an opportunity for patients, families, and health professionals from across the region to directly influence oncological policy for the coming years, at a time when cancer remains one of the main public health priorities.

Source: Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha (DOCM), no. 159, August 20, 2026, section III (Other provisions and acts), page 30553 (official reference: 2026/6124).