The number of living wills doubled in the last year in Castilla y Le贸n, with 6,986 new documents being registered, up from 3,451 in 2024. This evolution meant that since the Registry of Prior Instructions was created in 2008, a total of 30,445 people have indicated in advance and left in writing what type of care they want to receive when they cannot express their will.
The number of registrations increased throughout the Community. The largest increases occurred in the provinces of Burgos (261.7 percent), Palencia (165.9 percent) and Le贸n (112.4 percent). In absolute terms, Burgos registered an increase of 18.9 percent, Valladolid of 16.4 percent and Salamanca of 16.3 percent, these three provinces being the ones that achieved the highest number of registrations per 1,000 inhabitants of legal age, exceeding the average of Castilla y Le贸n, located at 14.7 documents per 1,000 inhabitants, as recorded by Ical.
The average age of grantors was 62 years, with a greater female representation. Since 2008, a total of 19,852 documents registered in the Registry correspond to women (65.2 percent of the total), compared to 10,593 registered by men (34.8 percent). In 2025, 4,672 documents issued by women (66.9 percent) and 2,314 by men (33.1 percent) were registered.
Formalization of the document
Prior instructions can be formalized in three ways: before a notary, before Administration service personnel or before witnesses. Of the 6,986 documents registered in 2025, 90.5 percent (6,319 documents) were made before Administration personnel. They were followed by those made before a notary, with 389 documents (5.6 percent), and those formalized before witnesses, with 278 (4.0 percent).
Compared to the previous year, the number of documents verified in front of Administration service personnel increased by 142.1 percent. On the other hand, those formalized before a notary (6.7 percent) and before witnesses (34.4 percent) decreased. From the creation of the Registry in 2008 until 2025, 71.1 percent of the accumulated total of documents (21,646) were formalized before Administration service personnel; 4,992 before witnesses and 3,807 before a notary.
Those carried out in front of witnesses must have the intervention of two people, who may not have a relationship up to the second degree or an emotional bond with the grantor. Likewise, the grantor, representatives and witnesses (if any) must give their express consent for the processing of their personal data, in accordance with current data protection regulations.
The representatives must be designated by the grantor himself. They must be trusted people who ensure compliance with the instructions in case the grantor cannot express his will. They cannot act as witnesses in the formalization act.
To register, the applicant must complete a form with their personal data and notification options, attach the original duly signed prior instructions document and, where applicable, the representative designation document. Likewise, you must authorize the transfer of data and indicate the health center in charge of notifications. Registration in the Registry is not mandatory, but it is recommended, as it facilitates quick access to the document by healthcare personnel when necessary. In addition, the regional registry is interconnected with the National Registry of Prior Instructions.
The document can be consulted later by the interested person or by their representatives through the enabled access or the Patient Folder. If you choose not to register it in the Registry, it is recommended to inform the doctor and family members, as well as give a copy to the designated representatives. People who have granted a prior instructions document can replace it at any time, following the procedure established in current regulations.
Since the launch of the Registry, 1,308 substitutions have been processed, of which 284 were carried out in 2025. Likewise, the document can be revoked and rendered void by any of the procedures provided. Since 2008, 89 documents have been revoked, 18 of them in 2025.
At the moment, 2,618 documents corresponding to deceased people who had their advance instructions registered in the Registry have been automatically removed. In 2025, the majority of the documents jointly collected instructions relating to both health care and treatment and the destination of organs after death. Specifically, 6,334 documents (90.7 percent of the total) included both questions. The remaining 646 (9.2 percent) were limited to medical care and treatment.
