Surgery at Son Espases Hospital, Palma Mallorca

Decrease in average waiting time for an operation. | Archive

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma25/06/2021 07:00
TW
0

In May, 13,471 patients in the Balearics were waiting for an operation, six per cent more than a year ago. The average waiting time has come down by eight days to 131, but there has been a wait of at least six months in roughly a quarter of cases (3,415). More than six months and patients have the right to demand operations, but this system has been suspended for the time being because of Covid.

As for patients waiting to see a consultant, there has been an increase of 36.8%. There were 35,239 patients on the waiting lists last May; the number has risen to 48,294. This sizeable rise is largely due to the fact that the health service is catching up with consultant appointments that were not being made, while fewer patients were in any event seeing doctors at health centres for several months. However, the time it takes to get a consultant appointment has improved. A year ago, 67% of patients were waiting more than two months. This is now 20%. The average time is 41 days, whereas it was 78.75 days in May 2020.

IB-Salut says that it is sending more patients to the Sant Joan de Déu and Cruz Roja hospitals and that there is special attention to the need for x-rays. For these, the health service has an arrangement with private clinics in cases where patients have been waiting more than two months.