Ministry of Health (Spain)

History

Early period

Between the 18th and 19th centuries, Spain began to develop its own institutions dedicated to public health. The first of these institutions was the Royal Supreme Health Board (). This Board, created in 1720 by King Felipe V, aimed to relieve the Council of Castile of its workload and thus create a body that could immediately provide solutions to the problem of the plague, which at that time had arrived by sea from Marseille, France. This body, in addition to debating health measures and advising the monarch, was dedicated to rationalizing and systematizing the scattered health legislation of the time.

In 1847, the minister of the Interior, Manuel de Seijas Lozano, drove a complete reform of the institutional health framework, which involved the abolition of the Royal Supreme Health Board and its replacement by two bodies: the Royal Health Council and the Directorate-General for Health. In this way, while the former had merely advisory functions, the Directorate-General for Health (known nowadays as Directorate-General for Public Health), assumed the executive functions and brought together all the health responsibilities of the Ministry of the Interior, the department responsible for health matters at that time. A few days earlier, a new structure for the Department had been approved, and it was the Directorate-General for Charity, Prisons, and Health that assumed these powers. All these reforms were consolidated with the approval of the Health Act of 1855.

Inception

State powers in this area remained with this department until 1933, when the Undersecretariat for Health and Charity was transferred to the Ministry of Labour, which then became known as the Ministry of Labour and Health.[[File:Federica Montseny.jpg|left|thumb|[[Federica Montseny]], first minister and first woman to hold the office.]]However, the first ministry focused on health was created on 4 November 1936, during the premiership of Francisco Largo Caballero, as the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance, with a woman holding a cabinet portfolio for the first time in the history of Spain: Federica Montseny.

During that period, Montseny planned childcare centers, soup kitchens for pregnant women, prostitution shelters, and she elaborated a list of professions for disabled people, as well as drafting the first an abortion law in Spain. The civil war prevented the minister from developing her projects, in addition to the short life of the ministry.

As stated, the ministry was short-lived. When Juan Negrín replaced Largo Caballero as prime minister, he disbanded the department and its powers were divided between the Ministry of Labour (social affairs) and the Ministry of Education (healthcare) by a Decree of May 1937. After the Spanish Civil War, the responsibility returned to the Ministry of the Interior until 1977.

Return to the Interior Ministry

Throughout the dictatorship of Francisco Franco (1939–1975), health care responsibilities remained structured as first established by the 1855 Health Act, with the Directorate-General for Health as the main driving force behind public health policies, and this agency was integrated once again into the Ministry of the Interior. These aspects were ratified by the National Health Basis Act of 1944, which did not change the structure established a century earlier.

Democratic period

Once the dictator died, Spain began the democratic transition and, during the premiership of Adolfo Suárez, the Department, now called Ministry of Health and Social Security, was recovered by Royal Decree 558/1977, of July 4, which merged the responsibilities in health matters that until then were managed by the Ministry of the Interior, as well as the powers over Social Security that were then held by the Ministry of Labour.

At that time, the department consisted of two undersecretariats (one for the Department's general affairs and other one for Health Management), a Technical General Secretariat, and six Directorates-General: Personnel, Management and Financing; Benefits; Social Services; Healthcare; Pharmaceutical Regulation; and Public and Veterinary Health.

For a short period between February and November 1981, Health was once again merged with Labour. Royal Decree 2823/1981, restored it to full ministerial rank but this time without social security which remained within the Department of Labour. With this reform the Ministry acquired competencies over Consumers Affairs (through the National Institute for Consumers Affairs). During the first years of the premiership of Felipe González and the National Health System and the National Transplant Organization were created thanks primarily to the impulse of the minister Ernest Lluch.

With the victory of the People's Party in the general election of 1996, José Manuel Romay Beccaría was appointed Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs, a position he held throughout the 6th Legislature. Under his direction was created in 1997, the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices. In the 7th Legislature Celia Villalobos became minister (2000–2002) and achieved notoriety by her handling mad cow disease. She was succeeded by Ana Pastor Julián (2002–2004). The mad cow crisis precipitated the creation in 2011 of the Spanish Food Safety Agency, named since 2007 as Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency.

At the beginning of the 8th legislature, Elena Salgado assumed as Health Minister (2004–2007). With her, in 2004 the National Plan on Drugs, attached to the Ministry of the Interior, was shifted to the Ministry of Health. Eight months before the end of the legislature, the scientific Bernat Soria assumed the office of Health Minister. In the next legislature Soria was confirmed as Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs, and he was succeeded by Trinidad Jiménez in 2009 following a cabinet reshuffle. Under Jiménez Social Policy was returned to the health portfolio, including the Institute for the Elderly and Social Services (IMSERSO), previously under Education.

Under minister Leire Pajín (October 2010-December 2011), responsibilities on equality issues were added to her duties, previously under a separate ministry of its own, and also assuming the Institute of Women and the Institute of Youth. At the beginning of the 10th legislature Ana Mato became minister and the Ministry assumed (only functionally) the Charles III Health Institute (which still belonged to the Ministry of Economy). In addition, in January 2014 the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition and the National Institute for Consumer Affairs merged giving rise to the new Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition. On 24 November 2014, Mato resigned after being implicated in the corruption case known as Gürtel. On 3 December 2014, Alfonso Alonso succeeded her.

After the 2016 cabinet reshuffle, Dolors Montserrat was appointed Minister of Health and one of his first measures was to raise the rank of the Director of the National Transplant Organization to Director-General in order to strengthen this institution. Barely 1 year later after the assumption of Montserrat, the Güertel case that provoked the resignation of minister Mato also provoked in June 2018 the fall of the Rajoy government through a motion of no-confidence driven by the Leader of the Opposition Pedro Sánchez. After the success of the motion, Sánchez appointed Carmen Montón as Health Minister and the Ministry transferred the competences over equality to the Ministry of the Presidency. Montón also strengthen the consumers affairs competences by recovering the Directorate-General for Consumers Affairs and regained universal healthcare for undocumented immigrants. She resigned after three months in office after a degree scandal and María Luisa Carcedo succeeded her. Carcedo continued with the program established by Montón on fight against pseudosciences and recovering the Observatory of Women's Health.

A major restructuring occurred in 2020. The Department of Health lost all its competences on consumer affairs and social services, that were transferred to the ministries of Consumer Affairs and of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda, respectively. However, in exchange, the department assumed the government policies on drugs. During this time, Carcedo was replaced by Salvador Illa, who had to face the COVID-19 pandemic. It was precisely as a result of this pandemic that in August 2020 the department underwent a major reform in its structure, recovering the position of Secretary of State for Health (which already existed between 1979 and 1981) as second-in-command and creating the General Secretariat for Digital Health, Information and Innovation of the National Health System.

Following Illa's resignation at the beginning of 2021, Carolina Darias took over and promoted the creation of a National Agency for Public Health, with the aim of improving the prevention and management of future diseases. She also restored the right of single, lesbian, bisexual and transgender women to access assisted reproduction in public health care, which had been suppressed in 2014.

Darias resigned in March 2023 and was replaced by José Miñones. In his brief eight-month term, Miñones officially ended the COVID-19 pandemic and promoted the right to be forgotten for cancer survivors, meaning that anyone who had suffered from cancer would not be required to declare their condition when applying for a loan or taking out insurance.

In November 2023 Mónica García assumed the office, focusing her term in mental health. For this purpose, she created a Commissioner for Mental Health.

Organization

The Ministry of Health is organized as follows (in bold those who depend directly on the minister):

In addition, the Department has two advisory bodies:

• The Advisory Council for Health and Social Services, as an advisory and assistance body in the formulation of health policy.
• The Committee of the professions of the health and social sector.

List of officeholders

Office name:

• Ministry of Health and Social Assistance (1936–1937)
• Minister of Health and Social Security (1977–1981)
• Minister of Health and Consumer Affairs (1981–2009)
• Minister of Health and Social Policy (2009–2010)
• Minister of Health, Social Policy and Equality (2010–2011)
• Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality (2011–2018)
• Minister of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare (2018–2020)
• Minister of Health (2020–present)

Notes

References

References

1. (1 January 2023). "2023 State Budget".
2. "Royal Decree 718/2024, of July 23, which develops the basic organic structure of the Ministry of Health".
3. "Healthcare expenditure statistics - overview".
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5. (2020-04-14). "Felipe V sí cerró las fronteras españolas a tiempo: así combatió la peste de Marsella".
6. Ministry of Culture. "Institution - The Royal Supreme Health Board (Spain)".
7. Ministry of the Interior. (24 March 1847). "Royal decree of 17 March 1847 abolishing the Royal Supreme Health Board and reorganizing this service".
8. Ministry of the Interior. (13 March 1847). "Royal decree approving the new structure given to the Ministry of the Interior of the Kingdom.".
9. (2019-08-06). "ABC SEVILLA 23-12-1933 página 19 - Archivo ABC".
10. [http://www.caum.es/CARPETAS/cuadernos/cuadernospdf/libro16/Salud_y_%20republica.pdf La Sanidad y la Asistencia Social durante la Guerra Civil. Federica Montseny (ed.), 23 de diciembre de 1933] {{webarchive. link. (2011-09-24)
11. SER, Cadena. (2021-09-16). "La historia valenciana de Federica Montseny, la primera mujer ministra de España".
12. Cristina. (2021-08-27). "Federica Montseny: la primera ministra de España, muy a su pesar".
13. "Decreto disponiendo la nueva denominación de los departamentos ministeriales a partir de la fecha de la promulgación de este Decreto.".
14. Office of the Prime Minister. (5 July 1977). "Royal Decree 1558/1977, of July 4, restructuring certain departments of the Central State Administration.".
15. [http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1977/07/05/102.html][[ABC (newspaper). ABC]] Hemeroteca. Nuevo Gobierno sin grandes sorpresas. 5 July 1977
16. Ministry of Health and Social Security. (30 July 1977). "Real Decreto 1918/1977, de 29 de julio, sobre estructuración del Ministerio de Sanidad y Seguridad Social.".
17. "Royal Decree 19/2014, of 17 January, by which the autonomous bodies of the National Institute of Consumption and the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition are consolidated into a new autonomous body called the Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition and its statute.".
18. "Royal Decree 485/2017, of May 12, which develops the basic organizational structure of the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality.".
19. "Spain approves law that returns to free universal health care model".
20. Jones, Sam. (2018-09-12). "Spain's health minister quits over degree scandal". The Guardian.
21. Güell, Oriol. (2018-11-14). "Spain moves to ban pseudo-therapies from universities and health centers". El País.
22. "Royal Decree 735/2020, of August 5, which establishes the basic organic structure of the Ministry of Health.".
23. Linde, Pablo. (2022-08-23). "El Gobierno aprueba la creación de la Agencia Estatal de Salud Pública sin decidir su ubicación".
24. SOLER, SOFÍA. (2022-08-23). "¿Para qué sirve una Agencia Estatal de Salud Pública? Obesidad, crisis climática y otros retos más allá de la COVID".
25. (2021-11-05). "Sanidad financiará la reproducción asistida a mujeres sin pareja, lesbianas y trans".
26. (2023-11-20). "El gallego José Miñones deja el Ministerio de Sanidad, que liderará Mónica García".
27. (2024-01-09). "Sanidad nombra al médico Pedro Gullón director general de Salud Pública y crea el Comisionado de Salud Mental".
28. (5 November 1936). "Decreto nombrando Ministro de Sanidad a doña Federica Montseny Mañe". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
29. (18 May 1937). "Decreto admitiendo la dimisión del cargo de Ministro de Sanidad y Asistencia social a doña Federica Montseny Mañe". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
30. (5 July 1977). "Real Decreto 1563/1977, de 4 de julio, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
31. (6 April 1979). "Real Decreto 713/1979, de 5 de abril, por el que se dispone el cese en sus funciones de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
32. (6 April 1979). "Real Decreto 711/1979, de 5 de abril, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
33. (9 September 1980). "Real Decreto 1795/1980, de 8 de septiembre, por el que se dispone el cese de diversos miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
34. (9 September 1980). "Real Decreto 1797/1980, de 8 de septiembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
35. (27 February 1981). "Real Decreto 259/1981, de 26 de febrero, por el que se dispone el cese en sus funciones de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
36. (27 February 1981). "Real Decreto 256/1981, de 26 de febrero, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
37. (7 March 1981). "Real Decreto 325/1981, de 6 de marzo, por el que se reestructuran determinados órganos de la Administración del Estado". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
38. (2 December 1981). "Real Decreto 2830/1981, de 1 de diciembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
39. (3 December 1982). "Real Decreto 3297/1982, de 2 de diciembre, por el que se declara el cese en sus funciones de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
40. (3 December 1982). "Real Decreto 3295/1982, de 2 de diciembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
41. (24 June 1986). "Real Decreto 1195/1986, de 23 de junio, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
42. (26 July 1986). "Real Decreto 1521/1986, de 25 de julio, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
43. (7 December 1989). "Real Decreto 1455/1989, de 6 de diciembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
44. (13 March 1991). "Real Decreto 300/1991, de 12 de marzo, por el que se dispone el cese de diversos miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
45. (13 March 1991). "Real Decreto 301/1991, de 12 de marzo, por el que se nombran Miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
46. (15 January 1992). "Real Decreto 7/1992, de 14 de enero, por el que se dispone el cese de don Julián García Valverde como Ministro de Sanidad y Consumo". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
47. (15 January 1992). "Real Decreto 8/1992, de 14 de enero, por el que se nombra Ministro de Sanidad y Consumo a don José Antonio Griñán Martínez". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
48. (8 June 1993). "Real Decreto 896/1993, de 7 de junio, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
49. (14 July 1993). "Real Decreto 1175/1993, de 13 de julio, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
50. (5 March 1996). "Real Decreto 440/1996, de 4 de marzo, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
51. (6 May 1996). "Real Decreto 762/1996, de 5 de mayo, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
52. (14 March 2000). "Real Decreto 374/2000, de 13 de marzo, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
53. (28 April 2000). "Real Decreto 561/2000, de 27 de abril, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
54. (10 July 2002). "Real Decreto 667/2002, de 9 de julio, por el que se dispone el cese de doña Celia Villalobos Talero como Ministra de Sanidad y Consumo". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
55. (10 July 2002). "Real Decreto 677/2002, de 9 de julio, por el que se nombra Ministra de Sanidad y Consumo a doña Ana María Pastor Julián". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
56. (16 March 2004). "Real Decreto 449/2004, de 15 de marzo, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
57. (18 April 2004). "Real Decreto 558/2004, de 17 de abril, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
58. (9 July 2007). "Real Decreto 957/2007, de 6 de julio, por el que se dispone el cese de doña Elena Salgado Méndez como Ministra de Sanidad y Consumo". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
59. (9 July 2007). "Real Decreto 961/2007, de 6 de julio, por el que se nombra Ministro de Sanidad y Consumo a don Bernat Soria Escoms". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
60. (14 April 2008). "Real Decreto 436/2008, de 12 de abril, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
61. (7 April 2009). "Real Decreto 551/2009, de 7 de abril, por el que se dispone el cese de don Bernat Soria Escoms como Ministro de Sanidad y Consumo". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
62. (7 April 2009). "Real Decreto 559/2009, de 7 de abril, por el que se nombra Ministra de Sanidad y Política Social a doña Trinidad Jiménez García-Herrera". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
63. (21 October 2010). "Real Decreto 1320/2010, de 20 de octubre, por el que se dispone el cese de doña Trinidad Jiménez García-Herrera como Ministra de Sanidad y Política Social". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
64. (21 October 2010). "Real Decreto 1329/2010, de 20 de octubre, por el que se nombra Ministra de Sanidad, Política Social e Igualdad a doña Leire Pajín Iraola". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
65. (22 November 2011). "Real Decreto 1743/2011, de 21 de noviembre, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
66. (22 December 2011). "Real Decreto 1826/2011, de 21 de diciembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
67. (27 November 2014). "Real Decreto 986/2014, de 26 de noviembre, por el que se dispone el cese de doña Ana Mato Adrover como Ministra de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
68. (27 November 2014). "Real Decreto 987/2014, de 26 de noviembre, por el que se dispone que, como consecuencia de la vacante en el cargo de Ministra de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad, la Vicepresidenta del Gobierno y Ministra de la Presidencia asuma el despacho ordinario de los asuntos correspondientes al titular del citado Departamento". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
69. (3 December 2014). "Real Decreto 1002/2014, de 2 de diciembre, por el que se nombra Ministro de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad a don Alfonso Alonso Aranegui". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
70. (22 December 2015). "Real Decreto 1168/2015, de 21 de diciembre, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
71. (16 August 2016). "Real Decreto 323/2016, de 10 de agosto, por el que se dispone que la Ministra de Empleo y Seguridad Social en funciones asuma el despacho ordinario de los asuntos del Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
72. (4 November 2016). "Real Decreto 417/2016, de 3 de noviembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
73. (2 June 2018). "Real Decreto 352/2018, de 1 de junio, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
74. (7 June 2018). "Real Decreto 357/2018, de 6 de junio, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
75. (12 September 2018). "Real Decreto 1159/2018, de 11 de septiembre, por el que se dispone el cese de doña Carmen Montón Giménez como Ministra de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
76. (12 September 2018). "Real Decreto 1161/2018, de 11 de septiembre, por el que se nombra Ministra de Sanidad, Consumo y Bienestar Social a doña María Luisa Carcedo Roces". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
77. (30 April 2019). "Real Decreto 337/2019, de 29 de abril, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
78. (13 January 2020). "Real Decreto 8/2020, de 12 de enero, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
79. (27 January 2021). "Real Decreto 54/2021, de 26 de enero, por el que se dispone el cese de don Salvador Illa Roca como Ministro de Sanidad". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
80. (27 January 2021). "Real Decreto 56/2021, de 26 de enero, por el que se nombra Ministra de Sanidad a doña Carolina Darias San Sebastián". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
81. (28 March 2023). "Real Decreto 201/2023, de 27 de marzo, por el que se dispone el cese de doña Carolina Darias San Sebastián como Ministra de Sanidad". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
82. (28 March 2023). "Real Decreto 203/2023, de 27 de marzo, por el que se nombra Ministro de Sanidad a don José Manuel Miñones Conde". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
83. (25 July 2023). "Real Decreto 695/2023, de 24 de julio, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.
84. (21 November 2023). "Real Decreto 835/2023, de 20 de noviembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno". Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado.