When I first arrived in Spain, I often heard that public healthcare is free but comes with long queues. I’ve recently experienced this firsthand. A family doctor is usually fine; you can typically get an appointment within a few days using the app. But a while ago, my doctor gave me a referral for a dermatologist. When the nurse tried to book it, the system showed a wait of almost four months! I was shocked… How typically Spanish.
Feeling frustrated, I went online to check official data to see if I was just particularly unlucky. As it turns out, these long waiting times are quite common in Spain for many procedures, from getting blood tests in Spanish hospitals to follow-up appointments in Spain, and they vary hugely between autonomous communities. I found a report from the end of last year (it also covers things like emergency rooms in Spain), and I’ve summarized it to share with you all. Take a look and see how your region compares.
As you can see from the chart, people in Catalonia, Andalusia, and the Canary Islands are really going through it, with average waiting times exceeding 100 days. In contrast, the situation is much better in Madrid, the Basque Country, and Galicia, with average waits of around 60 days. Which is still quite long, but at least it’s not an indefinite wait.
Average Waiting Days for Specialist Outpatient Appointments by Autonomous Community
To make it clearer, I’ve organized the data for some major autonomous communities into a table. These are average days; for specific, high-demand specialties like ophthalmology or orthopedics, the wait might be even longer.
| Autonomous Community | Average Waiting Days |
|---|
| Andalucía | 124 |
| Cataluña | 120 |
| Canarias | 113 |
| Aragón | 90 |
| Comunidad Valenciana | 88 |
| Madrid | 51 |
| País Vasco | 50 |
Finally, I want to emphasize that this is just for reference. The situation can differ for each hospital and specialty. Sometimes you get lucky, and if someone cancels their appointment, you might be able to snag an earlier slot. So, it’s worth frequently checking the hospital’s app or calling your health center every now and then—you might get a pleasant surprise. Which city are you all in? How long do you usually have to wait for a specialist appointment? Share your experiences in the comments section to help others out!
