Ayuso responds in the Assembly after complaint over manipulation of waiting lists

Madrid’s public healthcare system is once again under scrutiny. This time, a surgeon at the Ramón y Cajal hospital has alleged manipulation of waiting lists, shaking the Asamblea de Madrid and putting Isabel Díaz Ayuso at the centre of controversy. The issue is significant: it directly affects those waiting for surgery or consultations, and reopens the debate on transparency and the management of public resources in the region.

The regional government has launched an investigation, but was quick to point the finger at the whistleblowing doctor, accusing him of fabricating the case for personal reasons. However, internal documents and testimonies from other professionals at the hospital, seen by EL PAÍS, support the surgeon’s account and increase pressure on the regional administration.

In the assembly, President Ayuso was forced to face questions from the opposition, who seized the opportunity to link this case to other recent episodes, such as the purchase of a luxury penthouse by Planifica Madrid. Socialist spokesperson Mar Espinar criticised the lack of explanations and the opacity surrounding healthcare and property management, while Manuela Bergerot of Más Madrid described the manipulation of patient severity to improve statistics as “criminal” and accused the government of favouring private healthcare.

Vox, meanwhile, tried to steer the debate towards the pressure that, according to its spokesperson, immigration places on public services. Ayuso responded by defending equal treatment for those who abide by the law and contribute to Madrid society, regardless of their origin, and reproached the far right for lacking concrete proposals.

The exchange of accusations was constant. Ayuso called the surgeon’s complaint a “hoax” and recalled that other similar cases, such as at the Hospital de Torrejón, were closed. From the PP, Carlos Díaz-Pache insisted that the left “keeps inventing cases” and defended the regional administration, claiming that Madrid is the region with the lowest taxes and the best public services.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Mónica García, expressed solidarity with the whistleblowing doctor and accused Ayuso of promoting private healthcare. The confrontation between the regional government and the Ministerio de Sanidad is intensifying, and the opposition already anticipates that the Ramón y Cajal case will not be the last to come to light.

At the same time, the Presidency Councillor, Miguel Ángel García Martín, appeared to explain the purchase of the controversial penthouse, a transaction that remains unclear and adds fuel to the fire at a particularly delicate moment for the regional executive.

The Ramón y Cajal hospital, one of Madrid’s leading healthcare centres, treats thousands of patients every year and is known for its surgical activity and its role in training professionals. Its daily operations set the pace for public healthcare in the north of the city, and any changes to its waiting lists have a direct impact on the lives of many Madrid residents. Trust in the management of these centres is crucial for those who depend on public healthcare, and episodes like the current one force a closer look at how resources and information are managed in the region’s hospitals.