Lanzarote’s Surgical Waiting List Reaches Highest June Level Since 2019
More than 1,800 patients are currently waiting for surgery at Lanzarote’s main public hospital, with some specialties facing particularly long delays
Lanzarote’s public healthcare system is facing a significant increase in the number of patients waiting for an operation, according to the latest figures from the Canary Islands Health Service (Servicio Canario de la Salud).
At the end of June 2026, 1,866 patients were on the surgical waiting list at Hospital Doctor José Molina Orosa, Lanzarote’s main public hospital. The figure represents a 17.5% increase compared with June 2025 and is the highest June figure recorded on the island since 2019.
For residents of Lanzarote, the figures highlight continued pressure on the island’s public healthcare services, while for people who live here part-time or are considering moving to the island, access to healthcare remains an important consideration.
Which medical specialties have the longest waiting lists?
The number of patients waiting for surgery varies considerably depending on the medical specialty.
General and Digestive Surgery currently has the largest number of patients waiting, with 463 people on the list. The average waiting time in this specialty is around 48 days.
Traumatology and Orthopaedic Surgery is another major area of concern. There are 428 patients waiting for surgery, but the average delay is considerably longer at almost 95 days.
Of those patients, 71 have already been waiting for more than six months.
The other main surgical waiting lists at the Molina Orosa Hospital include:
- Ophthalmology: 272 patients
- Urology: 242 patients
- Angiology and Vascular Surgery: 205 patients
- Otorhinolaryngology (ENT): 168 patients
- Gynaecology: 87 patients
- Dermatology: 1 patient
Overall, 1,791 patients had been waiting for less than six months, while 75 had been waiting longer than six months. The official figures put the average surgical waiting time at 60.86 days, with a median wait of 48 days.
Why has the Lanzarote waiting list increased?
The increase on Lanzarote comes against a wider backdrop of pressure on the Canary Islands public health service.
Across the islands, the total surgical waiting list stood at 34,382 patients at the end of June 2026, an increase of 7.8% compared with the previous year. At the same time, the overall average surgical waiting time in the Canary Islands was 107 days.
The regional health authorities have pointed to a reduction in surgical activity during the first half of 2026, including disruption associated with industrial action by doctors, as one factor affecting the latest figures.
There is also some positive news within the regional figures. The Canary Islands Government says that the overall average surgical delay has fallen substantially since June 2023, when it stood at 153 days. It is now 107 days across the region.
What does this mean for people living in Lanzarote?
For Lanzarote residents, the figures provide a snapshot of the continuing demand placed on the island’s public healthcare system.
The situation is particularly relevant for patients requiring orthopaedic procedures, where the average wait is considerably longer than for some other surgical specialties.
It is also important to remember that a waiting-list figure does not mean every patient will wait the published average. Waiting times can vary depending on the type and urgency of an operation, individual circumstances and the availability of surgical resources.
Healthcare remains an important issue for Lanzarote
Access to healthcare is one of the practical issues that matters to both Lanzarote residents and people relocating to the Canary Islands.
The island’s public healthcare network provides services to a growing population, alongside the private healthcare sector, but the latest surgical waiting-list figures demonstrate the pressure currently being experienced at the Molina Orosa Hospital in Lanzarote.
With almost 1,900 people waiting for surgery at the end of June, the next set of official figures will be closely watched to see whether the increase is temporary or represents a continuing trend.
