The Urology department at the HUC is in a critical state following the departure of more than six urologists in recent months. This reduction in staff has left only about a dozen professionals available, insufficient to cover the needs of the northern region of Tenerife, including consultations and operating rooms at the main hospital, the Northern Regional Hospital, and three specialized care centers (CAE).
The direct consequence is the accumulation of over 5,500 unanswered interconsultations at the CAE of La Laguna and the northern area. Patients are waiting up to a year for specialist appointments, with conditions that could worsen. At the CAE of Puerto de la Cruz, in-person consultations have been completely suspended for at least a month, and primary care interconsultations are also not being managed.
“"Abusive treatment in the Service."
Internal testimonies point to a difficult work environment, with a former associate doctor reporting "abusive treatment" and the resignation of residents. According to these sources, the teaching department allegedly pressured a resident not to abandon the specialty despite the situation.
The hospital has announced the hiring of three additional professionals to alleviate the situation, with one expected in July and two in August after completing their residency. However, the staff remains significantly smaller than that of the Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, which has nearly twenty urologists.
Official waiting list data from December 2025 shows that the HUC has 264 people waiting for urology consultations, a much lower figure than other hospitals on the islands such as Hospital Doctor Negrín (423), Hospital Insular de Gran Canaria (1,103), and Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria (2,218). Nevertheless, the waiting time for surgery at the HUC is 162.63 days, considerably longer than at La Candelaria.
