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Information note on the 'Health Barometer 2023 (first wave)'

Madrid, 31 March 2023

Nota informativa

Health Barometer 2023

83.5% of Spaniards consider that public health works well, although it needs changes

  • According to the first wave of this year's Health Barometer, 70% of citizens have waited more than a day from making an appointment until their family doctor saw them because there was no space before.
  • The emergencies '061' and '112' and the treatment of nursing staff are the public health services best valued by Spaniards
  • For 39.3%, the problem of waiting lists in hospitals and health centers has worsened

Madrid, March 31, 2023 . In this first wave of the Health Barometer carried out by the CIS, it is clear that Spaniards value the public health system positively and it continues to be the first option over the private system. 83.5% of Spaniards assure that the health system works quite well although changes are necessary, while 15.9% affirm that "it works poorly and needs profound changes."

Medical appointments

Regarding appointments with family doctors, 70% of Spaniards who have needed a consultation with their family doctor this last year have waited more than a day from making the appointment until they were seen. 57% of the people who required an appointment say that it took more than a week until they were seen.

It should also be noted that 80.4% who have undergone a primary care consultation in the last year affirm that the care received has been "very good or good."

When people who have private insurance (23.3%) are asked what is the main reason why they have contracted it, 74.4% indicate that "because of the speed with which they provide care."

Public health services rated from 1 to 10

All health services in the public system are approved by Spaniards, but the best rated continues to be the emergency service, both '112' and '061' with a 7.33, followed by admissions and care in public hospitals with a 7.08 and primary care consultations in health centers achieve 6.19.

Regarding primary care consultations , "the trust and security transmitted by the nursing professional" continues to be the best rated aspect of primary care with 8.02, then the medical staff with 7.77 and "the information received about your health problem" the Spaniards rate it with a 7.46. The worst valued aspect is "the time dedicated by the medical staff to each patient" (6.65).

When asked about emergency care during the last year, 74.3% of citizens who have needed to use this service say that the care received was "very good or good." Only 7.7% indicate that it was "very bad or bad." Of course, regarding the time they spent waiting until they were attended to, 46.2% stated that they waited "from 1 to 4 hours" and 21.1% "more than 4 hours and less than 12 hours."

Waiting lists

Regarding the problem of waiting lists in the last twelve months, 39.3% of Spaniards believe that it has worsened and 41.2% believe that it has remained the same. Regarding the situation of collapse in primary care centers, 23.7% say that they are affected "a lot or quite a lot" and 22.2% say "somewhat."

When asked about possible measures that must be taken in primary care to improve the health system, citizens affirm that "maintaining the same family doctor in a stable manner" is very important (they score it 9.20), the need to "increase the workforce of health personnel" they value it with a 9.16 and in third position they indicate that it is necessary to "dedicate more economic resources" with a 9.05.

The data from this survey carried out between February 10 and 28, with a sample of 2,557 interviews, are available to all media and interested people on the website of the Center for Sociological Research (www.cis.es).

For any questions, the Communication telephone number is 91 580 76 25/664 470 083.

  • According to the first wave of this year's Health Barometer, 70% of citizens have waited more than a day from making an appointment until their family doctor saw them because there was no space before.
  • The emergencies '061' and '112' and the treatment of nursing staff are the public health services best valued by Spaniards
  • For 39.3%, the problem of waiting lists in hospitals and health centers has worsened

Esta información puede ser usada en parte o en su integridad sin necesidad de citar fuentes.

C/ Montalbán, 8
28014 Madrid
Email: comunicacion@cis.es
Tlf.: 91.580.76.25
Fax: 91.531.81.31

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