Doctors Strike Across Spain This Week — Check Your Appointments Now

Four Days of Strike Action — Affecting Expat Heartlands

A doctors' strike running from Monday April 27 to Thursday April 30, 2026 is disrupting public healthcare services across several of Spain's most populous regions — including areas home to large numbers of British and international expats.

If you have a medical appointment booked this week in any of the affected regions, check it now. Routine outpatient visits, planned procedures and diagnostic tests are at significant risk of cancellation or postponement.

Which Regions Are Affected

• Costa Blanca / Valencian Community (Alicante and Valencia provinces) — forecasting up to 200,000 postponed consultations and procedures
• Costa del Sol and Almería (Andalusia) — more than 5,700 public sector physicians participating in the strike action
• Murcia — previous strike actions in this region suspended over 10,000 external consultations, 300+ operations and 2,200 diagnostic tests
• Mallorca (Balearic Islands) — routine slots heavily affected

What Is Still Running

Despite the scale of the action, essential services are protected:

• Emergency departments maintain full coverage — if you have an urgent medical need, go to A&E or call 112 as normal
• Maternity services are protected
• Paediatric care continues at reduced capacity
• Intensive care units remain staffed

What is significantly impacted is routine outpatient care: GP appointments, specialist consultations, planned surgery, and diagnostic tests such as blood tests, X-rays and scans.

What the Doctors Are Demanding

The strike is being led by medical unions who are demanding a dedicated statute specifically for physicians — rather than being governed by the general healthcare worker framework proposed by the Health Ministry, which groups doctors together with other clinical staff.

Doctors argue that their specific professional circumstances, training, responsibilities and working conditions require a tailored legal framework that recognises the distinct nature of medical practice.

What to Do If You Have an Appointment This Week

1. Contact your health centre or hospital directly to check whether your appointment is going ahead
2. If your appointment is cancelled, ask to be rescheduled as a priority — your right to rescheduling should be maintained
3. For urgent medical concerns that cannot wait, go to your nearest A&E or call 112
4. For non-urgent queries, the nurse triage line may still be operating in your area

Private healthcare is unaffected by the strike — those with private health insurance policies (common among expats) can access their usual private providers without disruption.

This article is based on reporting from Euro Weekly News, published April 27, 2026. Strike action and affected services may vary by region — contact your local health centre for specific information.