Staff at Hospital del Mar in Barcelona are set to strike on Tuesday 3rd November 2026 in protest against what they describe as intolerable working conditions, including repeated physical assaults, extreme patient overload, and dangerously long waiting times.
In a public statement, emergency department workers said the facility regularly holds over 200 patients despite having capacity for only 110, with some waiting up to 70 hours in corridors. They cited a 34% increase in mortality linked to waits exceeding six hours, according to data referenced in their statement.
The strike will begin at 12:00 PM at the hospital’s main entrance, where staff are inviting fellow healthcare professionals and members of the public to join them. Their slogan: "your safety is at stake", underscores their warning that patient care is now at risk due to systemic failures.
We are at a point of no return; precariousness affects the entire hospital, and we even face physical assaults.
Demands for Immediate Change
Healthcare workers are calling on regional authorities to implement immediate solutions, including a significant increase in staffing, real measures to prevent and respond to violence against staff, and the opening of additional beds to end patient boarding in corridors.
They insist that empty promises are no longer acceptable and demand urgent negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement to address long-term stability and safety in the emergency department.
What This Means for Patients
The emergency service at Hospital del Mar triages patients by clinical severity, not arrival time, according to its official website (hospitaldelmar.cat). On 8 May 2026, the last recorded update showed 33 patients waiting, with 3 classified as needing urgent care (Level 2).
Patients and families are advised to expect potential disruptions on the day of the strike. The hospital may redirect some emergency cases to the Peracamps Centre if capacity is exceeded, as noted in official guidance.
Emergency visiting hours for family members are currently from 11:00 to 14:00 and 15:30 to 20:30, provided service demands allow, according to hospital policy.
Reported by metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, Hospital del Mar, hospitaldelmar.cat, 90550, metropoliabierta.cat, Metrópoli Abierta - Urban Life.
