A record budget of 13,840 million to transform the health system
This 2026 all care services will have more resources, the incorporation of 6,000 new professionals is foreseen and health facilities will be built and expanded throughout Catalonia
The Department of Health of the Generalitat de Catalunya has a budget of 13,840 million euros in 2026, representing 34.3% of the Generalitat's total budget.
This year, the new accounts reach a record expenditure of 49,162 million euros, which is equivalent to having 9,126 million euros more than in the accounts approved three years ago. Overall, the increase reaches 22.8% more.
In this context, the Generalitat maintains as a priority to strengthen the public Catalan health system and allocates nearly 35% of the approved accounts to it. Efforts are focused on providing health services with the necessary resources to ensure quality care for all citizens and improve access to health services.
This exceptional increase in the Health budgets for this year is accompanied by a set of measures aimed at strengthening primary care, reducing waiting lists, increasing resources for mental health, improving the conditions of health professionals, and advancing the transformation and modernization of the health system.
More doctors
With the approval of the 2026 budgets of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Health adds 2,428 million euros more than in 2023 and 21.3% of the total departmental budget. This budgetary effort will allow for actions such as the incorporation of 6,000 new professionals into the health system and an increase in the resources available for all care services.
Thus, primary care has an allocation of 3,892 million euros – 18.8% more than in 2023 – as a guarantee for health promotion, disease prevention, and the adequacy of basic healthcare services. Intermediate care has 461.8 million euros – 13% more – in a crucial area that helps prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and promotes rapid recovery after illness, while maximizing people's autonomy.
For acute inpatient hospital care, 5,994 million euros are available, which is 11.4% more than in 2023. This includes the improvement of specialized consultations, emergency services, hospitalization, surgery, day hospital, and diagnostic tests.
And, finally, in mental health, people's emotional well-being will be strengthened with an allocation of 589 million euros, which represents a 13% increase in the face of a growing need day by day. Furthermore, more than 2 million people will have access to oral health services.
Investments in healthcare equipment
The 2026 budgets also foresee the construction, expansion, and improvement of various healthcare facilities throughout Catalonia. All actions aim to respond to the needs of the entire territory. In total, there will be 157 actions across Catalonia, including hospital expansions, new primary care centers (CAP), and new intermediate care and mental health facilities distributed across all health regions.
The Department of Health will also deploy 27 reference integral health centers (CSIR) throughout the territory to improve organizational efficiency, accessibility, quality of care, and user satisfaction.
Tarragona, Lleida, Girona, and Barcelona
The budgetary allocation in Tarragona directly impacts the improvement of hospital centers and facilities. The Joan XXIII Hospital will receive 55.7 million euros to expand the hospital and upgrade equipment, machinery, and furniture for the emergency service, as well as for the diagnostic imaging and nuclear medicine service. In total, investments in Tarragona's centers amount to 83.8 million euros: 3.6 million euros for the care lines of the Sant Joan de Reus Hospital; 19.9 million euros to expand and modernize the Tortosa Verge de la Cinta Hospital, and 400,000 euros for investments in the Móra d'Ebre Comarcal Hospital. Additionally, 2.1 million euros are allocated for the construction of the new Torredembarra CAP, 378,458 euros for the new CAP in the Carme neighborhood of Reus, and 2.6 million euros to expand the Arboç CAP.
The Arnau de Vilanova Hospital in Lleida will receive 6.8 million euros to expand and renovate its facilities with a surgical block, an obstetrics unit, and an area for diagnostic imaging and nuclear medicine, and 603,168 euros will be invested in the Pallars Hospital in Tremp. The Santa Maria CAP and the Almenar CAP will receive 1.8 million euros and 852,645 euros, respectively, the former to renovate its building and the latter to construct the new primary care center.
Hospitals and health centers in the Girona region will benefit from a total of 30.6 million euros. 14.2 million euros will be allocated for the expansion and renovation of the surgical block of the Oncohematological Day Hospital (Catalan Institute of Oncology) at the Dr. Josep Trueta University Hospital in Girona. Primary care centers, such as the Josep Alsina i Bofill CAP in Palafrugell, the one in Cassà de la Selva, and the construction of the new CAP in Santa Coloma de Farners, will receive 7.7 million euros, and 1.7 million euros will be invested in centers of the Institute of Health Care.
In Barcelona, the Hospital de Sant Pau de Barcelona, the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, the Hospital de Terrassa and the Hospital de Santa Creu i Sant Pau de Barcelona, among other facilities, will share 186.2 million euros to improve their installations. The new primary care centers Sant Boi-5, Gavà-3, Castelldefels-3, Santa Margarida i els Monjos will have an allocation of 14.2 million euros, as will the Consorci Sanitari del Maresme, with 4.5 million euros. The remodeling of the Hospital General de Vic (4.3 M€), the emergency department of the Hospital d'Igualada (4.5 M€) and the expansion of the emergency department and the new pharmacy of the Hospital Residència Sant Camil (7 M€) and the investments in the Hospital Sant Bernabé de Berga (2.5 M€) are other actions.
