Spain’s healthcare system is once again in the spotlight after a two-day national strike by doctors swept across the country on January 14 and 15, 2026. From Madrid’s bustling hospitals to the clinics of Galicia, Catalonia, the Basque Country, Navarra, Comunidad Valenciana, Aragón, Asturias, Andalusia, and Castilla y León, medical professionals walked off the job in a dramatic demonstration of frustration and unity. The strike, spearheaded by the APEMYF group and supported by several unions, exposed deep rifts not only between healthcare workers and government officials but also among the unions themselves.
At the heart of the unrest were disputes over working conditions, pay, and mounting bureaucratic burdens that many doctors say are taking precious time away from patient care. According to El Balad, the strike’s impact was felt most keenly in the operating rooms and consultation offices: Galicia alone saw 472 surgeries and over 24,000 consultations canceled, while Madrid postponed 300 surgeries and 650 tests, affecting more than 7,600 patients. The disruption was widespread, with ripple effects reaching nearly every corner of Spain’s public health system.
But as the second day of the strike unfolded, a significant development emerged in Asturias. The regional government there reached a headline-grabbing agreement with the Medical Union of Asturias (Simpa). As reported by FilmoGaz, the terms of this deal include more flexible on-call duty schedules—allowing for 12-hour shifts instead of the punishing 24-hour marathons that had become the norm. The exclusivity bonus, a longstanding point of contention, was slashed by 60%, dropping from €1,056 to €415 per month. Medical residents (MIR) saw their monthly salaries rise by €100 to €150, depending on their level, and the daily patient cap per doctor was reduced from 43 to 38.
One of the most practical changes, according to El Balad, is the plan to delegate routine administrative tasks—like prescription renewals and sick leave paperwork—to specially trained staff. This, the agreement’s architects hope, will allow doctors to focus more on what they do best: treating patients. The Asturian government now has three months to implement these changes, a timeline that many in the region will be watching closely.
Yet, even as some celebrated the deal, not all voices were in harmony. The platform Médicos del Sespa, representing a significant segment of Asturias’ medical professionals, publicly distanced itself from the agreement. They argued that the deal was struck "behind the backs of the collective," without proper consultation or representation. Médicos del Sespa announced plans to continue their mobilizations, calling for a workers’ assembly to chart the next steps, and even hinted at the possibility of an indefinite strike in February. This internal division signals that, while some progress has been made, unity among Spain’s healthcare workers remains elusive.
Participation rates in the strike became a battleground of statistics. In Catalonia, the union Metges de Catalunya claimed a robust 53% turnout among doctors on the second day, while the Generalitat downplayed the figure to just 7.3%. Valencia saw a similar disparity: the Valencian medical union Avanza reported 60% participation (down from 70-80% the day before), but the regional health authority insisted the real number was just 3.69%. The Basque Country’s Medical Union estimated 20% participation, while the Health Department’s own numbers fluctuated between 8.19% for afternoon shifts and 20.67% in the morning. Such discrepancies, as reported by FilmoGaz, fueled accusations from unions that minimum service requirements set by local governments were "abusive" and discouraged broader participation.
Despite these differences, the strike’s impact on healthcare delivery was undeniable. Galicia’s health authority reported the cancellation of 472 operations, more than 24,000 consultations, and over 1,600 tests. Madrid’s numbers were similarly stark, with 300 surgeries and 650 tests postponed, directly affecting thousands of patients. These figures, cited by El Balad, underscore the human cost of labor disputes in a system already under strain.
The Asturian agreement stands out not just for its specifics but for what it represents: a rare moment of negotiation and compromise in an otherwise fractious national landscape. The deal’s provisions—more flexible shifts, reduced exclusivity bonuses, pay raises for residents, and a lighter administrative load—address many of the core grievances aired by striking doctors. By capping daily patient loads at 38, the region aims to improve both working conditions for doctors and the quality of care for patients.
Nevertheless, the path forward is anything but clear. The rejection of the agreement by Médicos del Sespa highlights ongoing divisions within the medical community. Their call for continued mobilizations and the prospect of an indefinite strike in February suggest that the unrest is far from over. According to FilmoGaz, national-level negotiations are also expected to resume soon, with unions pushing for a new labor statute that would grant doctors a dedicated professional status and further improve working conditions.
Underlying all these developments is a broader debate about the future of public healthcare in Spain. The strike has brought longstanding issues—overwork, underpayment, and administrative overload—into sharp relief. It has also forced the public and policymakers alike to confront difficult questions: How can a balance be struck between fiscal responsibility and fair compensation for medical professionals? What is the right way to ensure both high-quality patient care and sustainable working conditions for those who provide it?
As the dust settles from this latest round of strikes, one thing is clear: the conversation about healthcare in Spain is far from finished. The agreement in Asturias may have offered a temporary reprieve, but the divergent responses from unions and the looming threat of further strikes underscore the complexity of the challenges ahead. For now, Spain’s doctors—and their patients—wait to see whether real, lasting change is on the horizon or if more disruption lies ahead.
