The Spanish medical sector is facing its biggest crisis in years following the announcement of a nationwide strike against the new Framework Statute. Over 175,000 medical professionals are protesting against work overload, low wages, and lack of regulations regarding on-call duties. In Valencia alone, 32,000 medical services have been cancelled, and in other regions such as Castile and León or Galicia, hundreds of surgical operations have been halted, causing a growing paralysis of hospitals.

Paralysis of Spanish hospitals

Thousands of surgeries and millions of consultations have been halted. In Valencia alone, 32,000 medical services have been cancelled due to the strike against new staffing regulations.

Conflict over the Framework Statute

Doctors reject proposals from the Ministry of Health, demanding a 35-hour work week and real recognition of medical on-call time.

Floods in Castile

Parallel to the medical crisis, heavy rains have cut off ten roads in six provinces, with material losses counted in millions of euros.

The wave of doctors' protests in Spain is gaining momentum, striking at the foundations of the country's healthcare service. The main point of contention is the draft Framework Statute, which, according to trade unions, does not solve the problem of chronic staff fatigue or the unfair system of accounting for on-call duties. Doctors are primarily demanding the introduction of a 35-hour work week and a real limitation on the number of patients per specialist. The situation in the regions is critical. In Valencia, during the first three days of the strike, 32,000 appointments and procedures were cancelled. In Cantabria, it is estimated that at least 700 surgeries have been postponed, while in Castile and León, the number reaches a thousand procedures. Sindicato de Médicos CESM accuses regional governments of imposing "excessive minimum services", which they believe is an attempt to delegalize the protest and hide its true scale from the public. The Spanish healthcare system has been struggling with staff shortages for years, leading to mass protests already in 2012 after drastic budget cuts were introduced during the financial crisis. Health Minister Mónica García, called upon by autonomous governments to intervene, remains the target of sharp attacks from the medical community. Surgeons emphasize that working under conditions of extreme exhaustion threatens patient safety, especially during night shifts. Despite the enormous scale of disruptions, polls indicate some public support for the medics' demands, although patients are increasingly voicing frustration over the interruption of treatment chains. „The last thing we want as doctors is to strike. It costs us a lot of effort because we know what it means for patients, but it's our last resort.” — Pablo Cereceda, surgeon Scale of Cancelled Surgeries by Region: Castile and León: 1000, Cantabria: 700, Valencia: 540, Galicia: 379 32,000 — patients in Valencia did not receive assistance within three days Simultaneously, Spain is grappling with natural disasters. Heavy rainfall has caused rivers to overflow their banks in the regions of Castilla-La Mancha and Castile and León, resulting in the closure of ten national routes and material losses estimated at 36 million euros. Local authorities accuse the Duero Hydrographic Confederation of years of neglect in maintaining riverbeds.

Mentioned People

  • Mónica García — Spanish Minister of Health, accused by doctors of lack of dialogue and ignoring the demands of medical staff.
  • Antonio Gómez Caamaño — Health councilor in the Galicia region (Xunta), warning about difficulties in catching up on medical backlogs.
  • Pablo Cereceda — Surgeon from the hospital in El Escorial, representing the voice of protesting doctors.