The minister of health is a member of the Council of Ministers and the head of the Ministry of Health. The health minister is responsible for designing and implementing the public and private health policy of the central government and coordinating that of the other public administrations.

The minister of health, who is appointed by the Monarch, on the advice of the Prime Minister, is the highest authority in Spain responsible for guaranteeing citizens' right to health protection and coordinates the Spanish National Health System, a system of seventeen regional subsystems and the National Institute of Health Management—for Ceuta an Melilla. This coordination is carried out through the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System.

Powers In the field of public health, the health minister has four main responsibilities:

External health. Under the General Health Law, external health —health control of people and goods at borders—and international health relations and agreements are the exclusive competence of the central government. Pharmaceutical products. The Medicines Law establishes this matter as the exclusive competence of the central government, with the implementation of the legislation generally falling under the competence of the Spanish regions. Basic and general health policy. It is the responsibility of the central government to establish regulations that set the minimum conditions and requirements, pursuing a basic equalization of conditions in the operation of public services. Health coordination. As the main person responsible for the health system, the minister must coordinate the public health administrations, that is, by establishing means and systems of communication that make possible reciprocal information, technical homogeneity in certain aspects and the joint action of the State and regional health authorities in the exercise of their respective powers, in such a way as to achieve the integration of partial acts into the whole of the health system.

History For much of Spain's history, health and social services were the responsibility of the Minister of the Interior. During the Second Republic, these responsibilities were combined with the Ministry of Labour, until the socialist Francisco Largo Caballero granted them full autonomy in late 1936, appointing Federica Montseny as minister—the first woman in Spain to hold a ministerial post. The department lasted only a few months, as prime minister Juan Negrín transferred Health to the Ministry of Public Instruction. Similarly, during dictatorship of Francisco Franco, there was no Minister of Health, as this role was assumed, as before, by the Minister of the Interior.

With the restoration of democracy, prime minister Adolfo Suárez also reinstated the position of Minister of Health, who was also responsible for Social Security. After a brief interruption in 1981, this position was consolidated around two main areas of responsibility: health and consumer affairs. From 2009 onwards, it absorbed other powers such as those related to social services or equality, responsibilities that it has been losing in recent years until it only retained health powers since 2020.

Civil Order of Health

The Civil Order of Health, originally called the Cross of Epidemics, is the most prestigious public distinction in Spain for healthcare merits. Created in 1829, it is intended to recognize individuals and organizations, both national and international, who have performed outstanding or exceptional service in the field of healthcare.

The Minister of Health is the Grand Chancellor of the Civil Order of Health, who may delegate his powers to the Under-Secretary of Health, who acts as Chancellor of the Order. They are assisted by a Council and a Secretariat—led by the Technical Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health. As grand chancellor, the minister is responsible for convening, representing, and, where appropriate, presiding over the meetings of the council, as well as appointing its members. The minister is also the competent authority to approve, on his or her own initiative, the admission of new members to the Order.

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)

Name Name Term of office Party Government Federica Montseny 1936 1937 Independent(CNT) FranciscoLargo CaballeroManuel Azaña Enrique Sánchez de León 1977 1979 UCD The Duke of SuárezJuan Carlos I Juan Rovira Tarazona 1979 1980 UCD Alberto Oliart 1980 1981 Ind. / UCD Jesús Sancho Rof 1981 1981 UCD The Marquess of Ría de Ribadeo Manuel Núñez Pérez 1981 1982 UCD Ernest Lluch 1982 1986 PSC–PSOE Felipe González Julián García Vargas 1986 1991 PSOE Julián García Valverde 1991 1992 PSOE José Antonio Griñán 1992 1993 PSOE Ángeles Amador 1993 1996 Independent José Manuel Romay Beccaría 1996 2000 PP José María Aznar Celia Villalobos 2000 2002 PP Ana Pastor 2002 2004 PP Elena Salgado 2004 2007 Independent José LuisRodríguez Zapatero Bernat Soria 2007 2008 Independent Trinidad Jiménez 2009 2010 PSOE Leire Pajín 2010 2011 PSOE Ana Mato20112014PPMariano RajoyFelipe VI Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría 2014 2014 PP Alfonso Alonso 2014 2016 PP Fátima Báñez 2016 2016 PP Dolors Montserrat 2016 2018 PP Carmen Montón 2018 2018 PSOE Pedro Sánchez María Luisa Carcedo 2018 2020 PSOE Salvador Illa 2020 2021 PSC–PSOE Carolina Darias 2021 2023 PSOE José Miñones 2023 2023 PSOE Mónica García 2023 Incumbent MM

References

Notes