Private Healthcare Physicians Demand Salary Increases Amidst Stagnation
Medical professionals in the private sector call for higher pay and establish new union to advocate for their rights.
Medical professionals working in Spain's private healthcare sector have voiced their concerns over stagnant salaries, which have seen only a 3% increase over the past decades.
Experts estimate that salaries should have accumulated increases of about 150% since the 1990s, according to Ignacio Guerrero, president of the Union of Medical Professionals (Unipromel).
In response to ongoing dissatisfaction, Unipromel is set to establish the SEPLAMED union on June 20, 2025, which will be dedicated to negotiating a new statutory framework and collective agreement specifically tailored for private healthcare physicians, based on models used for pilots and merchant sailors.
The situation regarding salaries has been exacerbated by the low compensation rates offered by private hospital groups, with many doctors receiving annual gross pay ranging from €38,000 to €45,000.
Unipromel has highlighted the precarious employment situations faced by many self-employed doctors working under mercantile contracts—an issue currently under review by the Ministry of Labor, which indicates these contracts may be deemed illegal under current legislation.
Additionally, Unipromel has initiated legal actions against state contracts for healthcare services rendered to civil servants, now progressing through the National Court.
Asserting that their grievances have been largely unaddressed, the union has launched a complaint against the General Directorate of Insurance and Pension Funds (DGS), demanding better salary conditions for physicians affiliated with DGS and those operating in the private sector.
The complaint argues that remuneration should not be bound by the price tables enforced by insurance companies, as many medical professionals have experienced no salary adjustments in over three decades.
The union's request encompasses a broader call for the freedom of honorarium, intending to dismantle the imposed fee structures that inhibit direct negotiations between doctors and patients.
In the wake of their legal efforts, Unipromel is advocating for transparent practices and the right to informed consent, aiming to limit the restrictive coverage clauses present in insurance policies.
The outcome of this movement and the subsequent formation of SEPLAMED could significantly influence the remuneration landscape for private healthcare physicians in Spain.
Experts estimate that salaries should have accumulated increases of about 150% since the 1990s, according to Ignacio Guerrero, president of the Union of Medical Professionals (Unipromel).
In response to ongoing dissatisfaction, Unipromel is set to establish the SEPLAMED union on June 20, 2025, which will be dedicated to negotiating a new statutory framework and collective agreement specifically tailored for private healthcare physicians, based on models used for pilots and merchant sailors.
The situation regarding salaries has been exacerbated by the low compensation rates offered by private hospital groups, with many doctors receiving annual gross pay ranging from €38,000 to €45,000.
Unipromel has highlighted the precarious employment situations faced by many self-employed doctors working under mercantile contracts—an issue currently under review by the Ministry of Labor, which indicates these contracts may be deemed illegal under current legislation.
Additionally, Unipromel has initiated legal actions against state contracts for healthcare services rendered to civil servants, now progressing through the National Court.
Asserting that their grievances have been largely unaddressed, the union has launched a complaint against the General Directorate of Insurance and Pension Funds (DGS), demanding better salary conditions for physicians affiliated with DGS and those operating in the private sector.
The complaint argues that remuneration should not be bound by the price tables enforced by insurance companies, as many medical professionals have experienced no salary adjustments in over three decades.
The union's request encompasses a broader call for the freedom of honorarium, intending to dismantle the imposed fee structures that inhibit direct negotiations between doctors and patients.
In the wake of their legal efforts, Unipromel is advocating for transparent practices and the right to informed consent, aiming to limit the restrictive coverage clauses present in insurance policies.
The outcome of this movement and the subsequent formation of SEPLAMED could significantly influence the remuneration landscape for private healthcare physicians in Spain.
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Translated by AI
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