Waiting lists in Spanish healthcare system hit record levels
New figures released by Spain's Ministry of Health reveal that almost 800,000 people are waiting for non-urgent surgical procedures in Spain, and that they are having to wait longer than before.
According to data released by the Spanish Ministry of Health this week, the number of people on waiting lists for non-urgent surgical procedures in Spain has hit a record level. A historical high of 793,521 patients were, as of December 31st, 2022, waiting for surgeries across the Spanish healthcare system.
The numbers show that there are over 86,000 new patients on the waiting list compared to a year ago, which represents a 12 percent rise. The average waiting time in Spain is now 122 days, compared to 113 in June 2022.
READ ALSO: Mass protest demands better health care in Madrid
Long waits
22 percent of patients have been waiting more than six months to be operated on, and when compared with the data from recent years, it seems the situation is worsening: a year ago the figure was 20.3 percent, and six months ago 17.6 percent.
As of the end of 2022, Spaniards were waiting an average of 95 days for an appointment with a specialist. Several types of surgeries even had average waiting times of over three months, notably neurology (113 days), dermatology (110 days), trauma (102 days), gastrointestinal (94 days) and ophthalmology (91 days).
Shortest waits
On the other hand, the shortest waiting lists were found to be for general surgery, with an average wait for a consultation of 65 days, as well as in gynaecology (69 days), though both these branches are part of the broader upward trend and now have longer waiting times than a year ago when they were 62 days 60 days respectively.
READ ALSO: Why Spain is running out of doctors
Trauma
Patients waiting for trauma surgery make up the most patients, with almost 200,000 patients (190,990) currently waiting for a traumatologist - making it the branch of the Spanish public healthcare system most in demand. This also seems to be an upward trend, with 20,000 more patients than a year ago and 3,000 compared to June 2022.
After trauma treatment, ophthalmology comes in second with just over 172,000 patients waiting.
The two types of surgery with the least amount of patients waiting are thoracic (2,000 patients) and cardiac (3,000).
READ ALSO: More than half a million children in Spain have no access to a paediatrician
Regional breakdown
Looking at the breakdown of the statistics, the numbers reveal stark regional inequalities with some parts of Spain having far longer waiting times than others. In total nine regions across Spain exceed the national average waiting time of 122 days, with Castilla-La Mancha and the Canary Islands (both 157 days) topping the list, followed by Extremadura (156), Cantabria and Catalonia (both 154 days).
The regions with the shortest average wait times were Madrid (63 days), the Basque Country (73) and Galicia (75).
Nearly one in three patients in Cantabria (32.3 percent) wait over six months to be seen, closely followed by Extremadura (32 percent) and Catalonia (31.6 percent).
This figure is below 10 percent in the Basque Country (7.1 percent), Galicia (6.7 percent), and Madrid (4.3 percent) and Melilla.
You can find the full regional breakdown here.
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According to data released by the Spanish Ministry of Health this week, the number of people on waiting lists for non-urgent surgical procedures in Spain has hit a record level. A historical high of 793,521 patients were, as of December 31st, 2022, waiting for surgeries across the Spanish healthcare system.
The numbers show that there are over 86,000 new patients on the waiting list compared to a year ago, which represents a 12 percent rise. The average waiting time in Spain is now 122 days, compared to 113 in June 2022.
READ ALSO: Mass protest demands better health care in Madrid
Long waits
22 percent of patients have been waiting more than six months to be operated on, and when compared with the data from recent years, it seems the situation is worsening: a year ago the figure was 20.3 percent, and six months ago 17.6 percent.
As of the end of 2022, Spaniards were waiting an average of 95 days for an appointment with a specialist. Several types of surgeries even had average waiting times of over three months, notably neurology (113 days), dermatology (110 days), trauma (102 days), gastrointestinal (94 days) and ophthalmology (91 days).
Shortest waits
On the other hand, the shortest waiting lists were found to be for general surgery, with an average wait for a consultation of 65 days, as well as in gynaecology (69 days), though both these branches are part of the broader upward trend and now have longer waiting times than a year ago when they were 62 days 60 days respectively.
READ ALSO: Why Spain is running out of doctors
Trauma
Patients waiting for trauma surgery make up the most patients, with almost 200,000 patients (190,990) currently waiting for a traumatologist - making it the branch of the Spanish public healthcare system most in demand. This also seems to be an upward trend, with 20,000 more patients than a year ago and 3,000 compared to June 2022.
After trauma treatment, ophthalmology comes in second with just over 172,000 patients waiting.
The two types of surgery with the least amount of patients waiting are thoracic (2,000 patients) and cardiac (3,000).
READ ALSO: More than half a million children in Spain have no access to a paediatrician
Regional breakdown
Looking at the breakdown of the statistics, the numbers reveal stark regional inequalities with some parts of Spain having far longer waiting times than others. In total nine regions across Spain exceed the national average waiting time of 122 days, with Castilla-La Mancha and the Canary Islands (both 157 days) topping the list, followed by Extremadura (156), Cantabria and Catalonia (both 154 days).
The regions with the shortest average wait times were Madrid (63 days), the Basque Country (73) and Galicia (75).
Nearly one in three patients in Cantabria (32.3 percent) wait over six months to be seen, closely followed by Extremadura (32 percent) and Catalonia (31.6 percent).
This figure is below 10 percent in the Basque Country (7.1 percent), Galicia (6.7 percent), and Madrid (4.3 percent) and Melilla.
You can find the full regional breakdown here.
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