Spanish health officials discuss professional wellbeing at national congress

Health officials from various Spanish regions participated in the V National Congress of Equality and Human Resources of Public Health Services held in Santander. During a roundtable discussion, Jesús Fernández Sanz, the Health Counselor for Castilla-La Mancha, emphasized the need to transform the healthcare model by focusing on the wellbeing of professionals rather than just patient assistance.

Fernández Sanz noted that personnel costs account for more than 50% of annual budgets in public health organizations. He suggested that improving wellbeing could involve better compensation for high performers, though he noted this is currently difficult to implement. He also stressed that legislative changes must be accompanied by human, economic, and technological resources.

César Pascual, the Health Counselor for Cantabria, called for an end to the mindset of “this is how it has always been done” in personnel management. He advocated for stronger leadership that takes responsibility for working conditions and encourages teams to identify difficulties early. Pascual stated the goal is to ensure professionals feel heard and supported to prevent burnout.