Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health is the highest body of the Department responsible for dealing with the projects of innovation, improvement and transformation of the National Health System, in particular those related to digital health and information systems, as well as carrying out the activities aimed at the transfer of innovation and advances of research to the National Health System, without prejudice to the competences attributed to other ministerial departments and the autonomous communities. It is also responsible for carrying out the functions relating to public health, inter-territorial coordination, high inspection, health planning, promotion of health strategies, development and updating of the common service portfolio of the National Health System, management of health professions and development and implementation of pharmaceutical policy, as well as the functions relating to public financing and pricing of medicines and health products and the development of the Ministry ' s policy on the coordination of transplant policy. For its part, in the field of external health, it is responsible for organizing and guaranteeing the provision and quality of health checks on goods imported or exported at Spanish border facilities and international means of transport, as well as those transported by travellers in international transit, organizing and guaranteeing the provision of health care for international passenger traffic, the prevention of traveller diseases and injuries and international vaccination services, in collaboration with the Autonomous Communities for this purpose so that vaccination is more accessible to the citizens who must comply with this requirement, as well as articulating external health surveillance. It is also responsible for promoting, evaluating and coordinating the development and implementation of the Strategic Framework for Primary and Community Care. Likewise, it is responsible for determining the criteria that allow the Spanish position to be established before the European Union and in other international forums in matters pertaining to its competence. Likewise, it is responsible for the relevant actions in the areas of food safety for human consumption, including nutrition and quality aspects with an impact on the health and safety of the food chain, all without prejudice to the competences attributed to the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. It is also responsible for developing and fulfilling the Department ' s responsibilities for updating, coordinating and implementing the National Drug Plan, particularly in the areas of drug addiction and other addictions.

The General Secretariat of Digital Health, Information and Innovation of the National Health System is the body of the Department that is responsible for addressing the projects of modernization, innovation, improvement and transformation of the National Health System related to digital health and information systems for the National Health System, the implementation of activities aimed at the transfer of innovation and advances of research to the National Health System, without prejudice to the competences attributed to other ministerial departments and the autonomous communities.

It is also responsible for the development of information systems, the management of clinical and administrative information related to the competences of the department, as well as the identification of the protected population and access to clinical and therapeutic information of the National Health System, the control, standardization and cataloguing of health information, and the assurance of interoperability and accessibility, in accordance with European Union regulations on health data, as well as holding the representation of the Ministry of Health in national and international bodies competent in the field of digital health, without prejudice to the competences of other units of the department.

2. The General Secretariat of Digital Health, Information and Innovation of the National Health System is responsible for the General Directorate of Digital Health and Information Systems for the National Health System.

3. In addition, the General Secretariat of Digital Health, Information and Innovation of the National Health System will carry out the following functions:

1. To facilitate the development and implementation of strategic lines on research and innovation in the health sector, aimed at incorporating improvements in patient care and in the organization and operation of the National Health System, in collaboration with other agencies and institutions involved, and in particular with the Carlos III O.A. Health Institute.

2. Carry out the necessary actions for the development and maintenance of the Health Information System of the National Health System defined in chapter V of Law 16/2003, of 28 May, on the cohesion and quality of the National Health System, guaranteeing its quality, standardization, cataloguing, comparability, transparency and accessibility within the legal framework of personal data protection.

3. Carry out the necessary actions for the governance and management of health data, applying the agreements adopted within the framework of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System, through the Health Data Office as a technical unit and in collaboration with the other competent bodies.

4. Coordinate the operations of the Ministry of Health on health and the health system in the National Statistical Plan, as well as its contribution for other State purposes and to respond to data and information commitments, with international organizations.

5. Prepare the Annual Report of the National Health System with a comprehensive approach to health and its protection and from the perspective of equity, quality and efficiency, as well as the periodic evaluation reports on the health situation, the functioning, performance and results of the health system and its comparative analysis with other health systems, including the expectations and opinion of citizens and the results in patients.

6. Assume the functional management of the common services of the National Health System related to Protected Population and interoperability of the Digital Clinical History and Electronic Prescription, both at the national and international level, as well as elaborate and maintain the general register of health centers, services and establishments.

7. To represent the Ministry of Health in the national and international bodies responsible for information, health interoperability, standardization, statistics and evaluation of the health sector.

8. To promote the diligent and ethical use of the data used in the National Health System, in collaboration with the autonomous communities and other agents involved, as well as to ensure its integrity and proceed to its dissemination, in the terms and conditions established by the applicable regulations through the Health Data Office.

The Ministry of Health is the body responsible for carrying out the functions provided for in Law 40/2015, of 1 October, on the Legal Regime of the Public Sector, and the direction, promotion and supervision of its dependent governing bodies and, where appropriate, of the public bodies that are attached to it. It is also responsible for coordinating the actions of the Department in relation to matters that will be submitted to the collegiate bodies of the Government.

In addition, it is responsible, in particular, for the development of the following functions:

1. The management of the official, statutory and employment staff of the Department, the development of the employment relations, the preliminary draft of the offer of public employment and the employment plans, and the convening and resolution of the selective tests of the official and employment staff and the competitions of official staff of the Department and of its autonomous bodies; the training and promotion of the staff, social assistance and relations with the Board of Staff and with the Works Council, as well as the safety and health at work, and also the economic and control regime of the personnel expenses and the empowerment of the latter.

2. Preparation and processing of the Department ' s and its agencies ' preliminary draft budget, the Department ' s and the agencies ' respective budget changes, as well as the budget report and technical assistance and the functions entrusted to the budget offices.

3. The economic, financial and treasury management of the Department ' s budget appropriations; the allotment and payment functions; the processing of recruitment and other expenditure files not attributed to other organs of the Department, as well as the programming and prior accounting of budget appropriations.

4. The direction, promotion and management in the Department of General and Internal Services, of security, heritage, works and technical maintenance services, the equipment of the Units, the preparation and updating of the inventory of movable property, the management and execution of plans for the self-protection of the buildings where the maintenance service is provided, as well as the planning and monitoring of the execution of contracts relating to these matters.

5. The planning, direction and coordination of the developments of the horizontal systems of the Ministry of Health; the elaboration, design, preparation and proposal of needs of the corresponding technological resources; and the direction and coordination of technology and the publication of contents and procedures of the web portal, electronic headquarters and Intranet of the Ministry of Health.

6. The elaboration, development and execution of the digitization plans of the department, as well as the promotion and monitoring of the digital transformation plans of the General Administration of the State, within the scope of the Ministry of Health, without prejudice to the competences of other units and coordination with them.

7. The management and integral management of the digital workplace, including the support of users and headquarters, the provision and management of equipment and associated services.

8. The coordination and supervision, in collaboration with the General Directorate of Digital Health and Information Systems of the National Health System, of the actions in the field of information and communication technologies carried out by the management bodies and agencies of the Department, including the processing before the Ministerial Commission of Digital Administration, chaired by the head of the Under-Secretariat of Health, of the proposals corresponding to this field.

9. Budgetary planning and implementation in the field of information technologies and digital transformation within the scope of their competences, as well as their execution and associated monitoring without prejudice to the competences of other units and coordination with them. In addition, the promotion of recruitment procedures and contractual monitoring of service level agreements.

10. The functions that Law 19/2013, of 9 December, on transparency, access to public information and good governance, and its development provisions, attribute to the Information Units, within the scope of the Ministry of Health, as well as support in the coordination of initiatives in the field of open government within the scope of the Ministry.

11. The establishment and management of the information systems of the Ministry of Health aimed at citizens, as well as attention to the same on the way of access to services, procedures, aids and subsidies within the competence of the Ministry of Health.

12. The execution and coordination of the Department’s institutional advertising campaigns, with the collaboration of the different Units proposing them.

13. The performance of informative and informative actions in matters specific to the Department, without prejudice to those expressly attributed to another body.

14. The execution and evaluation of the inspection programs of the services of the Department and of the entities of the institutional public sector that it has attached.

15. (ñ) The proposal for simplification and rationalization of procedures, the conduct of studies and proposals on the improvement of the organization.

16. The examination and proposal actions regulated by Royal Decree 799/2005, of 1 July, which regulates the inspections of services.

17. The coordination of the evaluations of the public policies of competence of the Department and, where appropriate, the realization of those determined by the person in charge of the Ministry, in accordance with the plan of public policy evaluations approved by the Council of Ministers, with the support of the Institute for the Evaluation of Public Policies of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise.

18. The promotion of the acquisition and coordination of the execution of funds from the European Union destined to the Ministry of Health.

19. The implementation of a planning system with strategic focus and forecasts on deployment, evaluation of implementation and review.

20. The promotion and coordination of technical and administrative work related to projects with national and European funding for the Ministry of Health. In relation to these projects, it will also be up to you to plan their control, monitoring and evaluation through regular monitoring of performance indicators and results and the evaluation of their implementation with updated information regarding the progress in the achievement of the milestones and goals.

21. The promotion and collaboration with the management centers of the Department in the fulfillment of the existing obligations in terms of communication and publicity in relation to the actions associated with Funds of the European Union.

22. Coordination and promotion of plans and projects promoted by the Secretary of State for the Civil Service.

23. The exercise of the functions of the technical secretariat of the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System.

24. The exercise of the functions of the Equality Unit of the Ministry, as foreseen in article 77 of Organic Law 3/2007, of 22 March, for the effective equality of women and men, in accordance with Royal Decree 259/2019, of 12 April, which regulates the Equality Units of the General Administration of the State.

25. The monitoring and updating of the Ministry’s representation in collegiate bodies and in committees or working groups.

The Mental Health Commissioner is the Department’s body responsible for developing the ministry’s mental health strategic lines and possible interactions with other ministerial departments, other public administrations, public and private institutions and civil society. Likewise, it is up to you to Promote a State Pact of Mental Health.

In particular, it will perform the following functions:

1. To promote, reorganize and coordinate the community mental health care network of the State health services, especially with regard to the care of people with Severe Mental Disorder (GMD), promoting the improvement of human resources management, the establishment of quality indicators, the promotion of research and the adoption of an assistance model based on comprehensive and personalized care.

2. Develop, implement and evaluate specific mental health plans, such as those aimed at children, adolescents and youth, the rational use of psychodrugs and against suicide. Management of line 024 of attention to suicidal behavior.

3. Evaluate compliance with the Mental Health Action Plans, within the Mental Health Strategy 2022-2026.

4. Promote actions and initiatives for the promotion and protection of mental health at work, in collaboration with institutional, social and health agents, in accordance with existing regulations, and develop strategies that identify and address the burden of mental illness derived from the work environment.

5. Design action strategies and promotion of community health focused on addressing the psychological suffering of social origin through the implementation of care and monitoring units of the social prescription, together with the different competent institutions, which will seek to strengthen existing community networks and resources and develop new approaches and tools in the community environment.

6. Promote the creation of a mental health prevention and depathologization program, based on the approach of social determinants, to address the root causes of mental disorders and reduce their stigmatization.

7. Promote the Horizon of Deinstitutionalization project by 2040, including studies on the current situation and measures to promote the recovery and community reintegration of people with mental disorders.

8. Develop specific actions aimed at the promotion, protection and mental health care of vulnerable groups, such as inmates in prisons, migrants who, due to their special circumstances, are in a vulnerable situation, and victims of gender violence or sexual violence, with special emphasis on measures that guarantee respect for the rights of people subjected to involuntary measures due to a mental disorder.

9. To determine the criteria for establishing the Spanish position before the European Union and in other international forums in matters within its competence, in coordination with the General Technical Secretariat.