Transforming Primary Care: From Spain to Europe

Last Updated on 18 de July de 2026 by S22 Digital

On a morning full of reflection and dialogue, the event “Transforming Primary Care: From Spain to Europe” brought together experts, leaders and professionals from the health sector in Madrid on 11 March. The event, organised with the aim of highlighting the crucial importance of primary care in Spain and Europe, became a space for exchanging ideas, experiences and perspectives on the future of health systems. Among the distinguished speakers of this opening session were renowned figures such as Josep Figueras, Director of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies; Suraya Dalil, Director of the Primary Health Care Programme of the World Health Organization; and Mónica García, Minister of Health of Spain, who shared their perspectives and commitments to improving primary care in the region. The day continued with the Spain case study presented by Melitta Jakab, Head of the WHO European Centre for Primary Health Care, followed by the fascinating talk “Implementing the Primary Health Care Approach: A Primer” by Dheepa Rajan, Health Systems Adviser at the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies.

After a well-deserved break, attention shifted to the international round table “From Spain to Europe: Primary Care Reforms”, moderated by Josep Figueras and Pilar Aparicio. In this session, leaders from Spain and various European countries shared their experiences and perspectives on how to improve and transform primary care in the region. From Pedro Gullón, Director-General of Public Health and Equity in Spain, to experts from countries such as the United Kingdom, Finland and the Netherlands, the discussion was rich in ideas and concrete proposals. The afternoon brought moments of deep reflection, beginning with the words of Javier Padilla, Secretary of State for Health of Spain, followed by the intervention of Tomás Zapata, Head of the Health Workforce and Service Delivery Unit of the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The session “Navigating the future of Primary Care in Spain: A collective reflection”, moderated by Paloma Calleja and Toni Dedeu, brought together leaders and representatives from various health sectors in Spain. From the Single Primary Care Management of the Government of Aragón to the Spanish Association of Social Work and Health (AETSYS), as well as the Federation of Associations for the Defence of Public Health (FADSP), each voice contributed a valuable perspective and a clear commitment to the continuous improvement of primary care.

Finally, the event came to a close at 6:00 p.m., with the words of Tomás Zapata and Pedro Gullón, who reiterated the importance of continuing to work together, from Spain towards the whole of Europe, to transform and strengthen primary care systems.