The situation of Primary Care Pediatrics in Catalonia

Objective: to expose the characteristic of Primary Care Pediatrics in Catalonia. The Catalonian Pediatrics Society (SCP) represents the pediatricians of Catalonia, the pediatricians of primary care are also associated in the Secció d’Atenció Primària of the SCP (SAP-SCP). There exists a mixed sanitary model that integrates the sanitary resources in an only network of public utilisation independently of its titularity. The pediatricians of primary care attend directly to the pediatric population with the support of nursing professionals. We describe the medical care, training, labour and organisational aspects. From the organisational point of view we expose the moment of change in Primary Care Paediatrics due to the Pla Estratègic d'Ordenació de l'Atenció de Pediatria a l'Atenció Primària and the Pla d’Innovació d’Atenció Primària i Salut Comunitària . These plans bet for Primary Care Pediatrics: they propose the creation of territorial pediatric teams where the responsible of child and teenagers until the age of 14 is the pediatrician; the nurse also will have a relevant role in the process of child care; the family doctor will be able to support to the pediatrician when necessary; they focus to a continuum care between the pediatric primary care and hospital. There are experiences of territorial pediatric teams: they have improved clearly child care as well as the satisfaction of professionals. The SAP-SCP advocates for the implantation, in a short term, of territorial pediatric teams in all Catalonia.