Overview

• At the end of 2024, 846,583 patients were on surgical waiting lists with an average wait of 126 days, a slight improvement from 2023 figures.
• Nearly four million people awaited specialist consultations, with an average wait of 105 days, and over 62% waiting more than 60 days.
• Extremadura and Andalusia reported the longest surgical waits at 178 and 176 days respectively, while Madrid recorded the shortest at 48 days.
• Public hospitals performed over 3.7 million surgeries in 2024, reflecting substantial activity despite persistent backlogs.
• The Ministry of Sanidad has initiated a working group to address delays and set maximum wait time guarantees across regions.