Son Espases Mallorca back at two-thirds capacity for operations

Surgery is returning to normal at Son Espases. | Teresa Ayuga

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma30/05/2020 15:27

Son Espases Hospital is now back to 66% of its normal surgical capacity. In May, an average of 30 patients per day have been operated on; the usual number is 45. Priority for now is being given to more complex operations rather than to those which don't require patients being admitted to hospital or, if there is a requirement, this being for no longer than one night.

Just one-fifth of operations in this latter category are currently being carried out, with the hospital also having to reorganise waiting rooms for this type of surgery in the same way as reorganisation has been needed for consulting areas. This will all be completed by the middle of June.

During the peak of the pandemic with priority given to coronavirus patients, there were still around a dozen operations per day for cancer patients and in cases where there couldn't be delay.

Son Espases has 24 operating theatres. Twenty of these are for complex operations; the other four are for the type of minor operations that don't require hospital stays. If the evolution of the pandemic allows, the hospital should be back to its normal capacity for operations by mid-June.

Waiting lists for operations haven't increased, but waiting times obviously have. In March, waiting times went up by 24% to 92 days; a year before the average was 74 days.