A Valencia Man Waited 514 Days to See a Urologist — and Was Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer

A Valencia resident waited nearly a year and a half for a urology appointment despite persistent pain. The man was eventually diagnosed with prostate cancer and prescribed radiotherapy and chemical castration to halt the tumour's growth, reports Las Provincias.

In January 2022, the man visited his GP complaining of prostate pain. The doctor referred him to a urologist. However, the specialist did not see him until May 2023 — 514 days after the initial referral. In the intervening period, the patient visited his GP several times due to ongoing pain. Each time, the doctor told him he needed to see a urologist and that he would be called to arrange an appointment. Eventually, the man went to the hospital in person to secure a consultation.

After the first urology appointment, further delays followed: a biopsy scheduled for July did not take place and was postponed to October. The patient filed a formal complaint with the patient services department. In October 2023, the biopsy revealed advanced prostate cancer. Medical services recommended radiotherapy and chemical castration, which were ultimately carried out at the IVO Oncology Institute. Treatment concluded in January 2024.

The Legal Advisory Council of the Valencian Community declared the delay "unacceptable" and ordered the Ministry of Health to pay the man €3,000 in compensation — significantly less than the €36,237 he had sought. Medical assessments concluded that the delay had not affected the prognosis of his condition.

Nevertheless, the council acknowledged that the prolonged wait had caused him moral harm — including depression, anxiety, insomnia, and sustained physical suffering. The hospital claimed to have sent the patient letters inviting him to attend appointments, but he stated he never received them. The Legal Advisory Council rejected this argument, noting that the medical institution had other means of contacting the patient.