The basics of public health in Spain: preventing and protecting health

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law sets the goal of the population reaching and keeping the highest possible level of health, through actions by public authorities, companies and citizen organizations to prevent illness and protect and promote health.
2. Public health actions must follow principles such as equity, health in all policies, precaution, evaluation and transparency. Information must be clear and understandable for everyone.
3. Citizens have the right to receive public health information, to take part in public health actions, not to be discriminated against, and to have their privacy and data confidentiality respected. In return, they must cooperate and report serious health risks to the authorities.
4. A Public Health Surveillance Network is created to collect and analyze information on the population's health and the factors that shape it, with an early warning and rapid response system running around the clock.
5. The Interterritorial Council will agree on a single vaccination calendar for Spain and a list of recommended preventive actions. Screenings (early detection tests) can only be done with scientific justification, and pre-employment and sports medical checkups are limited.
6. Public authorities must assess the health impact of rules, plans and programs that have a significant effect on the population's health.
7. Violations are classified as minor, serious or very serious, with fines of up to €3,000 for minor ones, up to €60,000 for serious ones, and from €60,001 to €600,000 for very serious ones, which can rise to five times the market value of the products or services involved. In very serious cases the establishment can be closed for up to five years.
8. The right to public health care is extended to all Spanish residents in Spain who could not have it recognized under other rules, including those who ran out of unemployment benefits starting January 1, 2012.

Who it affects

• The whole population, which gains rights to information, participation and equality in public health, plus the duty to cooperate with health authorities.: Rights and duties
• Companies and professionals whose activities can affect health, subject to authorizations, inspections and penalties.: Obligations and penalties
• Workers and employers, with coordinated health actions on occupational health and workplace health monitoring.: Occupational health
• People without recognized health coverage, whose right to public health care is extended.: Access to health care
• Psychologists, who get the new figure of General Health Psychologist through an official master's degree to practice in the health sector.: Professional regulation

Words worth knowing

Cribado (screening)

A test offered to the population to detect a disease early, even if there are no symptoms and no medical help was requested.

Consejo Interterritorial del Sistema Nacional de Salud (Interterritorial Council)

The body where the central government and the autonomous communities meet to coordinate the health system.

Medidas cautelares (precautionary measures)

Temporary measures the health authority can take, such as closing a premises or freezing products, to avoid health risks.

Sanidad exterior (external health service)

Health controls at borders, ports and airports over people, animals and goods entering or leaving Spain.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries