The average waiting time for an operation increased by 91% last month. In June 2019, the waiting time was 73 days; this rose to 140 days.
The state of alarm meant that operations were suspended except for emergencies and for cancer patients. It wasn't until the last week of April that IB-Salut started to gradually resume other operations and outpatient consultations. As a result, there are 12,083 patients who have been waiting an average of 4.7 months. Of these, 3,652 have been waiting more than six months. In June last year, only 614 patients were in this situation.
Under normal circumstances, these 3,652 patients could avail themselves of the delay guarantee and demand an operation immediately. Because of the pandemic, however, this doesn't apply. The IB-Salut director of health care, Eugenia Carandell, says that one way of dealing with this is through an agreement with private clinics, for which the government has to pay.
As well as the increase in waiting times for operations, the waiting time for a first consultation or diagnostic test has doubled. The waiting time in June last year was 35 days. It was 71 days last month, and this was for 37,117 patients, a 20% lower figure than last year because fewer referrals have been made.
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