Alex Trelinski
SPAIN’S best and worst regions for public health services have been named in an annual report from campaigners for high quality health provision.
The Federation of Associations for the Defence of Public Health (FADSP) gave the Valencian Community and Andalucia the lowest scores, while Navarre, the Basque Country, and Asturias came out on top.
The 20th FADSP report said the country’s National Health System ‘has worsened’ in recent years.
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The study aims to work out the differences between the health services of the country’s 17 regions based on the latest available data and on the same level, which FADSP says is difficult due to a ‘lack of transparency’ and figures not being updated.
Assessments are carried out by looking at financing; resources and operation such as per head expenditure: the number of beds per 1,000 residents; operating theatre numbers; and doctor and nurse totals.
Other things taken into account include pharmaceutical spending; patient appreciation; waiting lists; and health privatisation.
The maximum possible score in the study is 142 and the minimum score is 33, with an average obtained of 85.4.
The regions with the best ratings are: Navarre (106), the Basque Country (105), Asturias (100) and Castilla y Leon (95).
The lowest numbers are Catalunya (80), the Canary Islands (79), Castilla-La Mancha (79), Madrid (79), Murcia (78), the Balearic Islands (77), Andalucia (66) and Valencia propping up the bottom(62).
In recent years, there has been little change as to which areas do well and which ones flounder in comparison.
FADSP spokesperson, Dr. Marciano Provencio, said: “The difference between different regions is clearly excessive and it shows a great disparity in health services, which far from falling has gone up.”
“This continues to jeopardise a much-needed cohesion and equity between the regions.” he added.
Over the vexed issue of waiting lists to see a specialist consultant, the longest delay is in the Canary Islands (149 days).
They are followed by Andalucia (143 days), Navarre (114 days), Murcia (110 days), Aragon and Extremadura (106 days).
