According to the annual report “Health Services of the Autonomous Communities” published by the Federation of Associations for the Defence of Public Health (FADSP), Valencian health is the worst health service in Spain.
The document analyses 35 variables from the health system of each autonomy and grants a total of 62 points to the Valencian Community, which places it at the bottom of the national ranking.
The main assessment of the report writes of a deterioration from the reports of past years. In 2023, the Valencian autonomy was at number 15 on the list with 73 points; it was still among the communities with “worst health services,” but not in last position. In 2022, it scored 72 and was placed 12th, although it was among the regions “with poor health services”; there were five that were worse.
The report explains that the deterioration of Spanish health is widespread, so changes in the ranking “have nothing to do with some communities having improved, but with which they have deteriorated more than the others.”
Marciano Sánchez, spokesman for FADSP said “it has gone much worse, and, in all the variables, it is worse than the average.” Among the worst indicators, several stand out. First, the “low health budget” per inhabitant. With 1,668.12 euros it is among the four lowest in Spain. In the Basque country the spend per citizen is far more at 2,217.67 euros.
There is also the low availability of consultations in Primary Care where, in a 24-hour period, it is the second worst autonomy with only 18 per cent of the population receiving appointments. In Navarre the rate is 57 per cent.
However, they are not the only parameters with negative evolution. Sánchez also points to the low density of professionals with 2.08 doctors per thousand inhabitants and the number of hospital beds, below three per 1,000 people.
Even so, the differences are notable showing a 44-point margin between the Valencian Community and Navarre, which leads the list with a total of 106 points; the Valencian community is just 62.
The report calls this gap “clearly excessive” noting that the best valued are northern autonomous regions and the worst are located in the Mediterranean and southern peninsula. It also states that the five worst health authorities are governed by the PP.
Among the communities with “the best health services” are Navarre (106), Basque Country (105), Asturias (100) and Castile and Leon (95). Among those with “regular” services, are Aragon (91), Cantabria (91), La Rioja (91), Extremadura (90) and Galicia (82). Next, there are those that have “poor health services”: they are Catalonia (80), the Canary Islands (79), Castile-La Mancha (79) and Madrid (79). Finally, those who like the Valencian Community have “worst health services” are Murcia (78), the Balearic Islands (77) and Andalusia (66).
