The number of alleged medical malpractice cases registered in the Balearic Islands increased by 17% during 2024, reaching a total of 201 cases, according to the annual balance of the association El Defensor del Paciente. Of these, eight resulted in deaths. In Ibiza and Formentera, 49 cases were recorded, an increase of 25.6% over the 39 recorded in 2023.
The main complaints are related to waiting lists, emergency services and specialties such as general surgery, traumatology and gynecology-obstetrics. According to the report, the average delay for surgeries in the Balearic Islands was 102 days in 2024, a reduction of 20 days compared to 2023, although excessive delays persist in specialties such as general surgery, digestive and otorhinolaryngology.
Most reported hospitals in the Balearic Islands
The hospitals with the most complaints in the archipelago are Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Hospital Universitario Son Llàtzer, Hospital Can Misses in Ibiza and Hospital de Manacor. These complaints include serious complications in surgical interventions, late diagnoses and insufficient care in the emergency department, aggravating the users’ perception of the quality of the healthcare system. In Ibiza, emergency services faced severe overcrowding during the summer, attributed to a lack of foresight and a shortage of healthcare personnel. The Balearic Islands also continues to be the second autonomous community with the lowest health expenditure per inhabitant, with 1,664 euros per year, a figure which, according to the report, reflects “the lack of interest of the Balearic Government in the health of its citizens”.
Eight deaths and a healthcare system in crisis
The report highlights that, at the regional level, eight cases of alleged negligence resulted in deaths. Nationally, 798 people died in 2024 for reasons related to medical errors, according to the same report. The most common causes include diagnostic errors, hasty hospital discharges, poor emergency care and hospital infections. The Patient Ombudsman describes the healthcare situation in the Balearic Islands as “chronic and on the verge of collapse,” pointing to historical problems such as endless waiting lists, a lack of healthcare professionals and the constant saturation of emergency services. “Public healthcare is on the edge, and the unresolved problems continue to pile up. It is time for the authorities to stop politicizing healthcare and properly manage resources to protect citizens’ health,” the report concludes.
