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DownloadCOUNTRY: Spain
KNOWLEDGE BROKER: Pilar Carbajo Arias, Chief of Area, Ministy of Health, Spain
SEPEN thanks the knowledge brokers for their contribution in checking and completing the country-information. SEPEN is accountable for the content of the country profiles.
| Type of information | Source | Year | Remarks |
| Table 1: Health workforce stock and replacement | OECD | 2018 | Age characteristics of the nursing stock are not reported. |
| Figure 1: Mobility level in absolute numbers | OECD | 2018 | Only immigration data for OECD countries are available. The data produced are therefore incomplete. Not all OECD-countries register the country of origin of incoming health professionals and some do not register incoming health professionals at all. Emigration data are based on immigration numbers in other OECD-countries, as emigration as such is not registered nor reported. |
| Figure 2a: Number of practicing physicians per 1000 inhabitants | Eurostat | 2018 | Figure 2a presents regional distribution of physicians. Maps are formatted according to the NUTS classification obtained from Eurostat or recent national data provided by the key country informants. The national average is derived from the OECD/Eurostat databases, and the EU average from the “Health at a Glance: Europe” report published in November 2020. |
| Figure 2b: Number of practicing nurses and midwives per 1000 inhabitants | Eurostat | 2016 | Figure 2b presents regional distrubution of nursing and midwifery. Maps are formatted according to the NUTS classification obtained from Eurostat or recent national data provided by the key country informants. The national average is derived from the OECD/Eurostat databases, and the EU average from the “Health at a Glance: Europe” report published in November 2020. |
| Statistic | Number | Data Year |
| Total population | 46 937 060 | 2019 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 83,5 | 2018 |
Source: Eurostat
| Licensed to practice | Practising | Professionally active | |||||
| Statistic | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Number | Per 1000 inhabitants | Data year |
| Physicians | 260 588 | 5,57 | 188 166 | 4,02 | 202 700 | 4,33 | 2018 |
| > Generalist Medical Practitioner | Not reported | Not reported | 35 798 | 0,76 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| > Specialist Medical Practitioner | Not reported | Not reported | 121 561 | 2,60 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Nurses | 298 526 | 6,38 | 274 633 | 5,87 | 284 733 | 6,08 | 2018 |
| Midwives | 9 236 | 0,20 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Dentists | 37 787 | 0,81 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
| Pharmacists | 74 043 | 1,58 | 55 633 | 1,19 | 61 800 | 1,32 | 2018 |
| Physiotherapists | Not reported | Not reported | 54 258 | 1,16 | Not reported | Not reported | 2018 |
Source: OECD
Not reported
| Name | Role | Website |
| Ministry of Universities and Ministry of Education | Maintaining data that appear in the National Registry of Official University Graduates, the Registry of Academic and Non-University Professional Titles, the Central Registry of Titles and the National Registry of Specialists in Science of Health. | https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/portada.html |
| The Ministry of Defence | Retaining information on military health professionals, included in their personnel records. | https://www.defensa.gob.es/ |
| The other Ministerial Departments and the public bodies linked or dependent on them and, in particular, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Social Security and the Ministry of Health, | Maintaining data on health professionals included in their personnel records. | Ministry of Health – https://www.mscbs.gob.es/
Ministry of Universities. http://www.ciencia.gob.es/portal/site/MICINN/ State Public Employment Service (SEPE, in Spanish) https://www.sepe.es/HomeSepe National Institute of Statistic (INE, in Spanish) https://www.ine.es/ Councils of the Autonomous Communities and dependent entities. Instituto Nacional de Gestion Sanitaria (INGESA). http://www.ingesa.mscbs.gob.es/ |
| The councils of the autonomous communities and the public agencies linked or dependent on these | Maintaining data of health professionals included in their personnel records. | |
| The health councils of the autonomous communities and the public agencies linked or dependent on them, and the National Institute of Health Management | Maintaining records of Diplomas of Accreditation and Diplomas of Advanced Accreditation. | |
| Ministry of Universities and Ministry of Education | Maintaining data that appear in the National Registry of Official University Graduates, the Registry of Academic and Non-University Professional Titles, the Central Registry of Titles and the National Registry of Specialists in Science of health. | https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/portada.html |
| Name | Role | Website |
| Inter-territorial Council of the National Health System (CISNS) – Ministry of Health | Responsible for proposing and executing government policy on health, planning processes, and providing healthcare as well as the exercise of powers of the General State Administration to assure citizens the right to healthcare. | https://www.mscbs.gob.es/organizacion/consejoInterterri/home.htm |
| Council of University Policy – Ministry of Education | Responsible for proposing and carrying out the government policy on education and vocational training | https://www.educacionyfp.gob.es/portada.html |
| Name | Role | Website |
| National Council of Specialties in Health Sciences (CNECS) | Advisor to the Ministry of Health, composed of more than 500 representatives from all health professional specialties. | https://www.mscbs.gob.es/profesionales/formacion/consejoEspecialidades.htm |
| General Council of Physicians | Responsible for grouping, coordinating and representing the Official Medical Colleges at the state level, maintaining the status of Public Law Corporation with its own legal personality and full capacity in the fulfillment of its purposes. | https://www.cgcom.es/ |
| General Council of Pharmacists | Responsible for representing pharmacists, providing them with medicines information tools, and maintaining an evolving database along with IT improvements in
in order to adapt to pharmacists’ needs. |
https://www.portalfarma.com/Profesionales/organizacionfcolegial/presentacion/Paginas/Presentacion.aspx |
| General Council of Nurses | Regulatory body and competent authority of the nursing profession in Spain, legally constituting itself as the highest representative and coordinating body of nurses at both the national and international levels. The Council maintains its own legal personality and full capacity for the fulfillment of its purposes. | https://www.consejogeneralenfermeria.org/ |
| General Council of Dentist | Representative body of professional and chartered dentists in Spain.
The Council aims to defend the interests of the profession, the Official Colleges, Provincial Boards and citizens at both the individual and collective level. |
https://www.consejodentistas.es/ |
| Name | Role | Website |
| Association of Medicine Deans | Advisory body, aims to promote the scientific, technical, and cultural development of Medicine and medical training of Spanish professionals. The Association aims to reflect on and analyse issues affecting the scope of Medical Education in Spain. | http://www.cndmedicina.com/ |
| Association of Pharmacy Deans | The National Conference of Deans of Pharmacy Faculties of Spain was created in 1996. The Association organizes the Deans of Spanish Pharmacy Faculties. | http://decanosfarmacia.org/ |
| Association of Nursing Deans | Advisor body, managed and represented by the Board of Directors in order to meet and achieve the CNDE’s objectives. | https://cnde.es/ |
| Association of Dentistry Deans | Advisor body, organizing the Deans of Spanish Dentistry Faculties. | https://www.consejodentistas.es/comunicacion/instituciones/conferencia-de-decanos.html |
| Original name | Ley 16/2003, de 28 de mayo, de cohesión y calidad del Sistema Nacional de Salud. |
| Name in English | Law 16/2003, May 28th, Cohesion and Quality of the National Health System. |
| Short description |
The Human Resources Commission of the National Health System develops the planning, design of training, and modernisation of human resources of the National Health System activities and defines the basic criteria for assessing the competencies of health professionals, without prejudice to the powers of the autonomous communities. The analysis of training needs takes into account quantitative and qualitative aspects, in order to adapt professional training and thereby respond to the future demands of healthcare. The necessary instruments for training planning are: a) Coordination between the health system and the education system. b) Cooperation with the autonomous communities. c) The technical advice of scientific societies and professional organisations. d) A human resources information system |
| Publication date | 28 May 2003 |
| Link to full text | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2003-10715 |
| Original name | Real Decreto 640/2014, de 25 de julio, por el que se regula el Registro Estatal de Profesionales Sanitarios. |
| Name in English | Royal Decree 640/2014, of July 25, regulating the State Registry of Healthcare Professionals. |
| Short description | A Decree regulating the structure and content of the State Register of Health Professionals. |
| Publication date | 15 August 2014 |
| Link to full text | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2014-8712 |
| Original name | Ley 44/2003, de 21 de noviembre, de ordenación de las profesiones sanitarias. |
| Name in English | Law 44/2003, of November 21, on the organisation of health professions. |
| Short description | A Decree regulating the practice of health professionals in the public and private sector, as well as continuous professional development, and participation of health professionals in healthcare planning and regulation. |
| Publication date | 22 November 2003 |
| Link to full text | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2003-21340 |
| Original name | Ley 16/2003, de 28 de mayo, de cohesión y calidad del Sistema Nacional de Salud |
| Name in English | Law 16/2003, May 28th, Cohesion and Quality of the National Health System. |
| Short description |
Established by the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs, the health information system of the National Health System guarantees the availability of reciprocal information and communication between health administrations. Objectives and contents of the information is concluded by the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System. The aim of the information system is to respond to the needs of, among others, health professionals,and to improve their clinical knowledge and skills. The system comprises directories, studies, evaluations of medicines, medical devices and technologies, analysis of good practices, clinical guides, recommendations and collection of suggestions. |
| Publication date | 29 May 2003 |
| Link to full text | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2003-10715 |
Not reported
| Original name | Real Decreto 183/2008, de 8 de febrero, por el que se determinan y clasifican las especialidades en Ciencias de la Salud y se desarrollan determinados aspectos del sistema de formación sanitaria especializada. |
| Name in English | Royal Decree 183/2008 of February 8 determining and classifying specialisms in Health Sciences and develops certain aspects of the specialised health training system. |
| Short description | The Decree defines specialisms and regulates several aspects of specialist training. |
| Publication date | 21 February 2008 |
| Link to full text | https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2008-3176 |
| Original name | Real Decreto 1146/2006, de 6 de octubre, por el que se regula la relación laboral especial de residencia para la formación de especialistas en Ciencias de la Salud. |
| Name in English | Royal Decree 1146/2006 of October 6, regulating the special employment relationship of residence for the training of specialists in Health Sciences. |
| Short description | The Decree regulates specific employment relationships between specialists in training and the training centres. |
| Publication date | 7 October 2006 |
| Link to full text | https://boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2006-17498 |
| Original name | Título IX. Ley Orgánica 6/2001, de 21 de diciembre, de Universidades |
| Name in English | Title IX. Law 6/2011 of December 21 on the Universities |
| Short description | The Law regulates staff in public and private Universities. |
| Publication date | 24 December 2001 |
| Link to full text | https://www.boe.es/eli/es/lo/2001/12/21/6/con |
| Original name | Real Decreto 1142/2007, de 31 de agosto, por el que se determina la composición y funciones de la Comisión de Formación Continuada de las Profesiones Sanitarias y se regula el sistema de acreditación de la formación continuada. |
| Name in English | Royal Decree 1142/2007, of August 31,determining the composition and functions of the Commission for continuing education in the health professions and the accreditation system for continuing education |
| Short description | The Decree regulating continuous professional development. |
| Publication date | 10 June 2015 |
| Link to full text | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?lang=en&id=BOE-A-2015-8442&tn=&p= |
| Original name | Título IV. Ley 44/2003, de 21 de noviembre, de ordenación de las profesiones sanitarias. |
| Name in English | Title IV. Law 44/2003, of November 21, on the organisation of health professions |
| Short description | The Law regulates the private practice of health professionals. |
| Publication date | 22 November 2003 |
| Link to full text | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2003-21340 |
| Original name | Ley 55/2003, de 16 de diciembre, del Estatuto Marco del personal estatutario de los servicios de salud. |
| Name in English | Law 55/2003, of December 16, on the Framework Statute for statutory health services personnel. |
| Short description | The Law determines labour regulation between civil servant health professionals and Public Health Services. (The majority of health professionals maintain the same type of employment relations. |
| Publication date | 17 December 2003 |
| Link to full text | https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2003-23101 |
Not reported
List of sources specific to this country:
Specialized Care Information System (SIAE) – https://www.mscbs.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/estHospiInternado/inforAnual/homeESCRI.htm
Primary care information system (SIAP) – https://www.mscbs.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/sisInfSanSNS/actDesarrollada.htm
Last updated: 10 October 2020
The country fiches are produced under the EU Health Programme 2014-2020 under a service contract with the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) acting under the mandate from the European Commission. The information and views set out in the country sheets are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission/Executive Agency. The Commission/Executive Agency does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this study.
Neither the Commission/Executive Agency nor any person acting on the Commission’s/Executive Agency’s behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.
This website was produced under the EU Health Programme 2014-2020 under a service contract with the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) acting under the mandate from the European Commission. The information and views set out in this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Commission/Executive Agency. The Commission/Executive Agency does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this website. Neither the Commission/Executive Agency nor any person acting on the Commission's / Executive Agency's behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.