1 in 6 call for public health improvement

Nevertheless, a clear majority are satisfied with the treatment they are getting (59.66%) from their general practitioner. The survey showed that 67.88% of people in the Balearics were satisfied with specialist treatment, against 61.47% on the mainland. The findings were the result of a public health survey for 2011, undertaken by the Centre for Sociological Investigation on behalf of the Central Government's Ministry for Health, Social Services and Equality.

The survey involved 7'800 interviews of adult Spaniards to find out their views and their expectations of the public health service. The research is apparently an essential part of establishing priorities in health politics, said the ministry. As in previous years, the survey showed that the health service is the area of great concern to Spaniards (33.38%), and the highest after education (27.48%) for citizens of the Balearic Islands (25.33%).

In terms of points out of 10, Spaniards gave the public health system 6.59 out of 10 whereas in the Balearics the score was 6.81.
In terms of primary healthcare services, people in the Balearics awarded 7.42 out of 10, higher than the Spanish average of 7.33; and for specialist consultancies in hospitals, the score in the Balearics was higher (7.26) than the national average of 6.87 out of 10.

One of the services which is most valued by citizens of the Balearics is the Emergency departments of public hospitals, 6.52 compared to the Spanish national average of 6.11. People in the Balearics also think highly of the way they are assisted if needing to go into hospital, showing a score of 7.35 while the Spanish average is 6.89, and all at a time when there have been biting financial cuts into the health service nationwide.