Fuerteventura ends waiting lists for disability and dependency services
The Canary Islands’ Minister of Social Welfare, Candelaria Delgado, announced that Fuerteventura—along with the other non‑capital islands—has eliminated waiting lists for disability and dependency services. She credited a series of modernization actions that have adapted social services to the needs of citizens in the 21st century.
Regional Government Statement
Delgado made the declaration on Monday in Fuerteventura during the event “Social Services in the Canary Islands: Current Situation and Future Perspectives.” About fifty island residents involved in the sector attended, according to a press release from the Canary Islands government.
“It is the first time that the Canary Islands have a tool like this, a milestone that will allow us to get closer to the reality of the Public Social Services System across the autonomous territory, as it gives us information on the perception and valuation of the system,” Delgado explained.
Diagnosis and Multisectoral Analysis
The announcement follows the first “Diagnosis and Multisectoral Analysis of the Situation and State of Social Services in the Canary Islands.” This study, a prerequisite for the Strategic Plan of Social Services recently approved by the regional cabinet, was carried out through a collaboration agreement with the University of La Laguna. Nearly a thousand participants—service users, professionals, and experts—provided their assessments.
Delgado highlighted the positive results of the survey, noting that respondents gave the system a rating of more than six and a half out of ten.
Reactions from Island Officials
Víctor Alonso, Island Counselor for Social Action in Fuerteventura, praised the collective effort of professionals, entities, and community groups that work year‑round in the social sphere.
Juan Martínez Doreste, Vice‑Counselor for Equality and Diversity, accompanied Delgado on the visit. He warned that while health and other sectors have been modernized, social services have lagged behind.
“The goal must be to improve care to citizens and, for that, we must improve the system and make it more integrated and global,” Doreste said.
Doreste also detailed how the ministry has leveraged both regional and European Union funds to introduce artificial intelligence, robotics, and other digital tools into service delivery, resulting in reduced bureaucracy and faster response times.
Future Improvements
The diagnosis outlines several key proposals to further strengthen the social services system:
- Better coordination with other social protection systems to lower access barriers.
- Modernization of internal organization and management processes.
- Development of a 360‑degree view of each citizen, integrating their past and recent history to enable more personalized and effective administrative decisions.
“Our work is precisely focused on making the Canary social services system a reality—a more integrated system that allows us to view any citizen from a 360‑degree perspective, facilitating the administration to make more personalized and effective decisions,” the minister concluded.