Murcia Region given six months to cut GP waiting times

The regional government has been ordered to draw up a plan to reduce patient lists and improve access to family doctors, paediatricians and nurses

People waiting for an appointment with their local doctor could see changes to primary care in the Region of Murcia, after the Regional Assembly called for a new plan to tackle long waiting times.

The regional government now has six months to put a plan in place to reduce the number of patients assigned to individual family doctors, paediatricians and nurses. This is particularly relevant for anyone who has found themselves waiting several days to see their GP, the family doctor who provides most routine and first-contact healthcare in Spain.

The plan is expected to include enough staff and resources to bring patient lists down. The Assembly has also requested a detailed report within three months showing how many primary care professionals are working in the Region, how many posts are currently vacant and how many patients are assigned to each professional. These figures will then be published regularly, giving a clearer picture of staffing levels and patient workloads across the Region.

There is also a specific target for appointment times. The motion calls for the Murcia Health Service, known as the SMS, to meet its existing commitment to provide primary care appointments within 72 hours on at least 75% of the days assessed.

This comes as the current Regional Primary Care Strategy, which covers 2023 to 2026, approaches the end of its term. The Assembly has called for the strategy to be formally assessed during the first three months of 2027. That review will look at which of the promised improvements have actually been delivered and which still need to be completed.

The debate also raised concerns about planned health centres and staffing. One example given was Santiago y Zaraiche in Murcia city, where residents have been waiting for more than 20 years for a new health centre.

The regional government has defended progress made under the existing strategy, including the creation of new posts, increased staffing and changes to patient lists.

For patients, however, the key question will be whether the new measures translate into shorter waits and easier access to their local health centre.

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