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Doctors Stage Four-Day National Strike Over Health Ministry’s Draft Statute

Regional figures show sharply uneven participation across Spain, with the ministry standing by the text.

Overview

  • Walkouts run December 9–12 under minimum service rules that keep emergency, ICU, urgent surgery, oncology and dialysis care operating.
  • The action is led by CESM and the Sindicato Médico Andaluz, with support from regional groups such as Amyts and Metges de Catalunya, which also plans new stoppages in January.
  • Participation rates are hotly disputed, with unions reporting up to 80–90% in some hospitals while official tallies range from single digits to roughly 30% in many regions.
  • Hospitals reported cancellations of non-urgent consultations, tests and some surgeries, and Asturias suffered a data-centre failure that disrupted access to clinical records and prescriptions.
  • The ministry defends its draft after more than 60 meetings, highlighting limits on on-call shifts to 17 hours with exceptions and biennial job offers, as several regional governments press for withdrawal or major changes.