La Rioja declares Maxillofacial Surgery positions as "difficult to fill"

The Presidency of the Riojan Health Service has declared the positions of Area Specialist Physician in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the San Pedro Hospital as “difficult to fill,” a measure that will allow them to be filled through specific selection processes by competition. This is established by the Resolution of September 2, 2026, published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja number 171, dated September 7, 2026, in section II on Authorities and Personnel (official reference: BOR-A-20260907-II–1013).

The decision was adopted following a proposal from the Healthcare Management of Hospital Care, which issued a report on August 28, 2026, requesting the “difficult to fill” declaration for these statutory healthcare physician positions. The measure is supported by Article 16 of Law 9/2025, of December 29, on Fiscal and Administrative Measures for the year 2026 of the Autonomous Community of La Rioja.

Declaration of difficult to fill

The resolution declares the positions of Area Specialist Physician in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery within the San Pedro Hospital, under the Riojan Health Service, as difficult to fill. This classification responds to the difficulty of attracting and retaining specialists in a specific care area of the Riojan public health system.

Selection processes by competition

Positions declared as difficult to fill may be offered in specific selection processes through a competition system. Personnel who pass the process must meet a series of conditions to acquire the status of permanent statutory staff:

• Effectively join the awarded position.
• Remain uninterruptedly in active service in the same position.
• Maintain this tenure for a minimum period of three years.

These requirements are established by virtue of Article 16.4 of Law 9/2025, which regulates the filling of difficult-to-fill positions within the Riojan health sector.

Validity of the measure

The resolution, signed in Logroño on September 2, 2026, by the manager of the Riojan Health Service, Luis Ángel González Fernández, by authorization of the Presidency, will take effect from September 1, 2026, and will end on August 31, 2029. During this period, the positions may be filled through the exceptional mechanisms provided for in the regional regulations.

The declaration of “difficult coverage” represents a significant step toward guaranteeing the healthcare coverage of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Hospital San Pedro, an essential service for patients in La Rioja. By facilitating the incorporation of specialists through competitive examination and requiring a minimum stay of three years, the measure seeks to stabilize a workforce that was difficult to fill, with the objective of ensuring the continuity and quality of public healthcare in the community.

Source: Official Gazette of La Rioja, no. 171, September 7, 2026, section II. Authorities and Personnel, page 15307 (official reference: BOR-A-20260907-II–1013).