The Principality installs a Ronald McDonald Family Room at the HUCA

The Principality of Asturias, through the Department of Health and the public company Gestión de Infraestructuras Sanitarias del Principado de Asturias, S. A. U. (GISPASA), has signed an agreement with the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) to install a “Ronald McDonald Family Room” in the pediatric area of the Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA). The agreement was signed on September 22, 2026, and is published in the Official Gazette of the Principality of Asturias (BOPA) No. 190, of October 1, 2026, by resolution of September 25, 2026, of the Department of Presidency, Demographic Challenge, Equality, and Tourism (Code 2026-07893).

Publication is mandatory pursuant to Article 11.8 of the Law of the Principality of Asturias 2/1995, of March 13, on the Legal Regime of the Administration, as amended by the Law of the Principality of Asturias 4/2025, of November 19. The agreement is based on the Law of the Principality of Asturias 7/2019, of March 29, on Health, which establishes the humanization of care and the accompaniment rights of hospitalized children, and is administrative in nature, governed by Law 40/2015, of October 1.

A 210.9 square meter space on Floor 0

The room will be located in the pediatric area of Floor 0 of the HUCA, on an area provided free of charge by GISPASA and the Department of Health:

• Total surface area: 210.9 m².
• Interior common areas: 168.90 m² built (162.10 m² usable).
• Exterior patio: 42 m².
• Included utilities: water, gas, electricity, heating, air conditioning, telephone, internet, and wifi.

The objective is to offer parents and relatives of admitted minors “a space for privacy, relaxation, and comfort.” RMHC will assume responsibility for the interior design, construction works, and the installation of furniture and equipment, subject to the approval of the adaptation plan by GISPASA within fifteen calendar days.

Four years of validity and daily opening

The agreement will become effective once registered in the Agreements Registry of the Autonomous Community and published in the BOPA, with a validity of four years, extendable for another four. The room will operate every day, including weekends and holidays:

• Monday to Friday: from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
• Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays: from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

The schedule will be expanded gradually until it reaches this maximum and may be altered based on space requirements. All minors must be accompanied by their parents or responsible relatives while remaining in the room.

Zero cost for public healthcare and million-dollar insurance

The signing entails no economic cost for GISPASA nor for the Regional Ministry of Health beyond the maintenance of infrastructures they already funded. GISPASA will pay for electricity, water, gas, heating, and air conditioning supplies, while internet, wifi, and telephone will be the responsibility of the FIRM, which must also contract a civil liability insurance policy with coverage of no less than 1,000,000 euros.

The SESPA may provide psychological or psychiatric assistance to beneficiaries with stress or anxiety conditions, as well as training for the room’s staff and volunteers. The FIRM personnel will have no contractual relationship with the regional Administration and must provide certification of a negative record from the Central Registry of Sexual Offenders, in accordance with Organic Law 8/2021, of June 4.

Joint monitoring and technical annex

A joint monitoring commission, composed of representatives from the Regional Ministry of Health through SESPA, GISPASA, and the FIRM, will oversee the execution of the agreement and will meet at least once a year. The technical annex details the planned facilities, including an electrical power of 34 kW, autonomous climate control via aerothermal energy, a fire protection system compatible with the hospital, and two video surveillance cameras at the entrances connected to the HUCA network.

The signing of the document corresponds to María Concepción Saavedra Rielo, Regional Minister of Health; Guillermo Peláez Álvarez, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GISPASA, and Luisa Massuet Iglesias, representing the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

The implementation of this room responds to a sustained demand from families with minors undergoing long-term treatments, who spend weeks or months away from their homes. The agreement secures the free use of the space for at least four years and distributes obligations among the three parties, so that the health Administration assumes no new current expenses and the foundation guarantees the maintenance and daily management of the service.

Source: Official Gazette of the Principality of Asturias, no. 190 of October 1, 2026, section I (Principality of Asturias, Other Provisions), page 1 (official reference: Code 2026-07893).