The doctors’ strike called in the Balearic Islands over the draft of the new Estatuto Marco has reached 85% participation in hospitals and between 65% and 70% in primary care on its second day, according to the Balearic Medical Union (Simebal). And the high level of support is having impact on healthcare services: during the first three days of the strike, 246 operations and 8,283 medical appointments have been cancelled across hospitals and health centres, according to the Balearic Health Service (IbSalut).
The union says participation has reached 100% in anaesthesiology departments, forcing the complete suspension of all non-urgent surgical activity and the rescheduling of consultations and diagnostic tests. IbSalut figures show that over the same period 3,872 hospital consultations, 499 radiology tests, 137 diagnostic procedures and 2,994 primary care appointments have been cancelled, underlining the scale of the disruption.
Mallorca has been the worst affected island in terms of volume of activity. So far, 120 operations, 2,343 hospital consultations, 324 radiology tests, 53 diagnostic procedures and 2,253 primary care appointments have been called off. Despite the impact, the Regional Health Ministry insists that essential services remain guaranteed, particularly in emergency care, oncology and vital treatments, and continues to recommend mask use in healthcare settings due to the current circulation of the flu virus.
The strike is part of a nationwide stoppage involving more than 177,000 public-sector doctors, 33,000 medical residents (MIR) and 45,000 medical students. The action, which runs until 12 December, calls for a dedicated medical statute and negotiation framework, clearer professional classification based on training levels, improved regulation of on-call shifts and their inclusion in pension calculations, an end to forced mobility, and a fairer system of pay and incompatibilities to prevent unequal treatment for the same work.
