Patients left waiting in pain as Andalucía doctors’ strike cancels 60,000 medical procedures a day

Patients across Andalucía are increasingly worried about delays and cancellations to medical appointments as doctors’ strike action continues. The situation comes as doctors across the region enter a fifth week of strike action, with unions claiming that an average of 60,000 appointments, diagnostic tests and surgical procedures are being cancelled every day leaving many residents worried about how much longer they may have to wait for treatment

According to medical unions, more than 1.3 million healthcare procedures have already been affected since the strikes began, leaving many patients facing further delays in the coming weeks. While emergency departments remain open and urgent treatment continues, the industrial action is having a noticeable impact on non-urgent healthcare services across the region.

Which appointments are most likely to be affected?

Not every patient will see their appointment cancelled, but disruption is being felt across hospitals and health centres throughout Andalucía. Routine specialist consultations, outpatient appointments, diagnostic tests such as scans, and non-emergency surgical procedures are among the services most affected. Patients already on waiting lists for referrals are also experiencing longer delays as hospitals attempt to manage an increasing backlog.

Health authorities continue to advise patients to attend appointments as normal unless they receive official notification of cancellation or rescheduling. However, with thousands of procedures reportedly being postponed each week, many patients are repeatedly checking with hospitals for confirmation, adding to the sense of uncertainty. For those already waiting months for treatment, the added disruption is proving particularly difficult.

Why doctors in Andalucía are on strike

The strike centres on opposition to proposed changes under Spain’s new healthcare employment framework, known as the Estatuto Marco, a national law that sets out the working conditions, rights, contracts and obligations of medical staff in the public healthcare system.

Medical organisations argue the reforms fail to address long-standing concerns over excessive workloads, long working hours and staffing shortages within the public healthcare system. Unions representing doctors say these pressures are already affecting retention and recruitment, particularly in overstretched hospitals.

Around 30,000 doctors across Andalucía have been called to take part in the industrial action, making this one of the largest healthcare disputes in recent years. Doctors insist the issue is not only about working conditions but also about safeguarding patient care. They warn that continued strain on staff could further damage the quality and accessibility of services.

Patients caught in the middle as delays grow

For many patients, the strike is no longer an abstract labour dispute but a very real disruption to their health and daily life. Antonio Baena, president of Córdoba’s Platform for the Defence of Public Healthcare, says patients are effectively paying the price for the ongoing deadlock between unions and health authorities.

Among those affected is Carol, a resident of Granada, who had been waiting more than nine months for back surgery before being told her operation had been cancelled just one day before it was due to take place. She says the injury dates back several years following a horse-riding accident, leading to years of appointments, medication and specialist care before finally reaching the point of surgery.

“I have been in pain for years with a back injury that I suffered during a riding accident. It’s taken years of appointments, check-ups and medication, plus nine months waiting for surgery, only for it to be cancelled at the last moment,” she said.

“I’m beyond furious. You build everything around that surgery date, mentally and physically, and then it’s taken away with almost no notice.”

Her case reflects a growing number of patients facing last-minute cancellations after long waiting periods.

Mary who is living in Sotogrande, is another patient affected by delays in Andalucía’s public healthcare system, says she has been waiting more than two years for an appointment with a traumatologist. Unable to take standard painkillers due to an underlying health condition, she says she has been left managing her symptoms without specialist care.

“I’ve been waiting just over two years for an appointment with the traumatologist,” she said. “I can’t take painkillers because of a health condition, so I manage the pain as best I can, it’s exhausting. Every six months I’ve been calling to ask when I might finally be seen.” However, she says she recently discovered her appointment had been cancelled without notice.

“I found out the doctor had cancelled my appointment and nobody had even let me know. I still have no idea when I’ll be seen. Are the doctors actually aware of what they are doing to patients like myself?”

These are just two of many patients across Andalucía left in pain, in limbo, and facing the uncertainty of not knowing when their next appointment, test or treatment will actually come.

What is being done to reduce delays and protect patients?

Health authorities in Andalucía say steps are being taken to limit disruption and ensure that urgent and priority cases continue to be treated during the strike. Hospitals are operating with minimum service levels, meaning emergency departments, intensive care, cancer treatment and other life-saving procedures remain active even during strike days.

For non-urgent care, cancelled appointments are being re-entered into the system for rescheduling based on clinical priority, with patients expected to be offered new dates once capacity allows. However, officials acknowledge that the high volume of cancellations is making it difficult to clear backlogs quickly.

Some hospitals are also attempting to ease pressure by reorganising schedules and extending clinic activity where possible to recover postponed consultations and operations. Despite this, health sources admit that the scale of disruption is continuing to challenge the system. Patients are being advised to attend appointments as normal unless they are directly informed otherwise, as many services continue to operate despite the strike.

Could the strike continue into the summer?

For patients hoping for a quick resolution, there is still no clear end in sight. Medical unions have warned that if negotiations over the Estatuto Marco fail, an indefinite strike could begin from September, potentially extending disruption well beyond the summer months.

For now, health authorities continue to advise patients to attend appointments unless they are told otherwise, while hospitals attempt to manage growing demand and an expanding backlog of postponed care. But with more than a million healthcare procedures already affected and around 60,000 cancellations occurring every day of strike action, many people across Andalucía remain uncertain about when they will finally receive the treatment they have been waiting for.