Spain's public health system faces months-long surgery waits and alleged list manipulation
Patients like 79-year-old Manuel have been waiting over a year for joint surgery, while official data show an average wait of 121 days and growing concerns over how waiting lists are compiled.
Manuel, a 79-year-old man with severe knee osteoarthritis, has been waiting roughly one and a half years for surgery, fearing he may soon need a wheelchair. Official figures from the national health information system indicate an average surgical wait of 121 days at the end of 2025, with over 850 000 patients still on waiting lists across Spain. However, these averages mask regional variations and additional bottlenecks, such as a 102-day average wait for specialist consultations and further delays for diagnostic tests, which can push the total time to more than 200 days.
In Madrid, the president of the Asociación para la Defensa de la Salud Pública de Madrid, Sergio Rodríguez, alleges systematic “statistical makeup” of waiting lists, a charge rejected by health minister Fátima Matute and questioned by national health minister Mónica García. Personal stories like Lola’s unresolved knee trauma and Pedro José’s postponed urological operation, which have led to worsening health and mental distress, highlight the human cost of the system’s delays.
Why it matters
Prolonged surgery waits risk serious health decline and mental strain for thousands of Spaniards.
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