A recent study commissioned by the Canary Islands Health Service highlights concerning disparities in healthcare salaries compared to other regions in Spain. While doctors in the islands who can work privately earn more, those exclusively dedicated to public health fall behind.
A family doctor with five years of experience earns approximately €56,000 annually with the Canary Islands Health Service (SCS), while a public hospital specialist earns nearly €53,000. These figures place the archipelago third in Spain for healthcare privatisation, with salaries in primary care exceeding the national average by roughly €5,000 (9%) and around €3,000 (6%) in specialised care.
However, for seasoned professionals solely in public health, the situation shifts dramatically. Here, the Canary Islands ranks 17th out of 18 regions. Specialists with 30 years of experience and a commitment to exclusivity earn about €68,000, notably less than the national average of €74,500. Family doctors in similar positions earn €72,000 compared to an average of €76,000 elsewhere.
The study, titled “Regional Differences in Health Salaries in the National Health System: Canary Autonomous Reference,” involved research by academics from the University of La Laguna and other institutions. Ignacio Abásolo, who led the project, stated that while the study is descriptive and comparative, it doesn’t delve into the causes behind wage differences or their impact on professional mobility.
Abásolo added that comparing salaries is complex and influenced by many factors, such as seniority and the nature of employment. The researchers designed an interactive Excel simulator to analyse wage disparities accurately across 12 representative medical profiles.
The study found that remuneration remains the same whether a doctor works exclusively in public health or combines it with private practice in certain regions like Madrid and the Balearic Islands. In contrast, some areas do pay more for exclusive public work, with gaps of up to €15,000 for specific profiles.
When including on-call duties, the relative position of the Canary Islands worsens, as the SCS pays lower rates for weekday on-calls compared to the national average, ranking last with €22 per hour. Conversely, it pays well for holiday shifts at €35, the second highest in Spain.
For junior doctors, on-call work can add approximately €19,159 to their salaries in the islands. This constitutes a significant percentage (21% to 27%) of their total pay, which Abásolo emphasises affects professional incentives.
Interestingly, the report reveals that doctors in primary care earn more than those in hospitals within the islands, a trend that is rare in other regions. In nursing, hospital staff in the Canary Islands make around 7% more than the national average, while primary care nurses are closer to the mean.
Moreover, the maximum salary discrepancy between regions for the same medical profile reaches €29,000 annually without on-call pay, highlighting the significant variance. The national health framework does not mandate uniform remuneration across regions, allowing authorities to set supplementary wages based on living costs and job demands.
The study also adjusts for purchasing power, revealing that the cost of living in the Canary Islands is 7.7% below the national average, which improves their overall ranking when considering salaries.
In terms of other healthcare roles, such as nursing assistants, salaries in the Canary Islands exceed the national average. Abásolo noted that the residential supplement contributes to this competitive positioning.
Ultimately, the study’s goal was to provide a clear diagnostic comparison of salaries for the SCS, facilitating future discussions on potential reforms without making specific recommendations at this time.
