Follow-up meeting on the Basque Health Pact
The agreement is progressing with particular focus on primary care and mental health, key areas for improving care for the public.
On 15 April, the first follow-up and evaluation meeting of the Basque Health Pact was held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, a meeting aimed at reviewing the progress of the agreed initiatives and sharing priorities for the coming months.
The session was attended by Ane Fullaondo, scientific director of Biosistemak, as part of the methodological support and coordination provided by the Institute’s Technical Secretariat to the Department of Health.
The session provided an opportunity to confirm the transition from agreement to action and to reinforce a central idea shared by all stakeholders: moving towards a more collaborative public healthcare model, with a particular focus on primary care and mental health as priority areas for improving care for the public.
Progress in implementation: 85% of initiatives are already underway
During the meeting, the progress made by the Basque Health Pact since its approval was highlighted. Currently, 85% of the planned initiatives (282 out of 332) are already underway, at various stages of development.
These actions are having a particularly significant impact in three key areas:
patient involvement in decision-making,
strengthening the Osakidetza workforce,
and the incorporation of innovation and technology into the organisation and healthcare processes.
Continuous monitoring of the roll-out also enables progress towards a more uniform and assessable system, in which health outcomes and people’s experiences begin to guide planning and decision-making.
Primary Care, the cornerstone of the system’s transformation
Primary Care occupies a central place in the transformation driven by the Basque Health Pact. The action plan, which runs until 2026, includes measures aimed at improving accessibility, expanding the range of services and strengthening regional equity, with initiatives already underway.
These include new organisational models, the incorporation of new professional profiles, the use of digital tools to support clinical practice, and an infrastructure investment programme that includes the construction of new health centres and the refurbishment or expansion of existing ones.
This set of measures aims to deliver primary care that is more accessible, responsive and tailored to the real needs of the population.
Mental health: integrated care pathways for patients and families
Mental health has been established as one of the strategic priorities of the agreement. In this area, the development of integrated care pathways for specific conditions is being promoted, particularly in the areas of addiction, dual diagnosis, and childhood and adolescence.
These pathways enable patients and families to clearly understand their care journey, providing greater security, continuity and consistency in care. The initiative is accompanied by organisational changes aimed at care that is more community-based, coordinated and close to people’s local environments.
Governance and value-based approach
Among the key announcements from the meeting is the establishment of a Health Transformation Advisory Council , conceived as one of the main drivers to organise and accelerate organisational change within the public health system.
This body will enable the alignment of strategies, support organisational innovation processes and provide more structured monitoring of the implementation of the Basque Health Pact, moving towards a more consistent, measurable model focused on what delivers value: better health outcomes and a better care experience.
