Madrid guarantees evangelical religious assistance in SERMAS public hospitals

The Community of Madrid, through the Department of Health and the Madrid Health Service (SERMAS), has signed an agreement with the Evangelical Council of Madrid to recognize, protect, and enable the exercise of the right to evangelical religious assistance in the region’s public hospital centers. The agreement was signed on September 7, 2026, and is published in the Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid (BOCM) no. 236, of October 3, 2026, section I.D (Announcements), page 19, with the official reference BOCM-20261003-3.

The agreement implements the fundamental right to religious and worship freedom recognized in the Spanish Constitution and in Organic Law 7/1980, of July 5, on Religious Freedom, within the Madrid health sector, which obliges public authorities to facilitate religious assistance in hospital establishments under their jurisdiction. Its specific framework is the State Cooperation Agreement with the Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain (FEREDE), approved by Law 24/1992, of November 10, whose article 9 guarantees this right for those admitted to public hospital and care centers. The Evangelical Council of Madrid is a religious entity member of FEREDE and acts as a body dependent on it.

An agreement for all SERMAS hospitals

The purpose of the agreement is the spiritual care of evangelical patients, their families, and loved ones in the hospital centers affiliated with SERMAS, through ministers and worship assistants. All hospitals affiliated with the public service are included, the complete list of which appears in Annex I of the agreement, including:

• 12 de Octubre University Hospital, La Paz University Hospital (including Carlos III Hospital, Cantoblanco Hospital, and Enfermera Isabel Zendal Hospital), Gregorio Marañón General University Hospital, and Clínico San Carlos Hospital.
• Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda University Hospital, La Princesa University Hospital, and Getafe University Hospital.
• Infanta Leonor University Hospital (includes Virgen de la Torre Hospital), Infanta Cristina University Hospital, Infanta Sofía University Hospital, Móstoles University Hospital, Severo Ochoa University Hospital, and Santa Cristina University Hospital.
• Niño Jesús University Children’s Hospital, Henares University Hospital, Sureste University Hospital, Tajo University Hospital, Dr. Rodríguez Lafora University Hospital, José Germain University Hospital, Príncipe de Asturias University Hospital, El Escorial Hospital, La Fuenfría Hospital, San José y Santa Adela Red Cross Central Hospital, Guadarrama University Associated Hospital, and Virgen de la Poveda University Associated Hospital.

Additionally, the parties commit to transferring the agreement to eight centers with a special link to the Regional Ministry of Health so that their governing bodies may consider signing their own agreement: Fuenlabrada University Hospital, Alcorcón Foundation University Hospital, Infanta Elena University Hospital, Rey Juan Carlos University Hospital, Torrejón University Hospital, Villalba General Hospital, Jiménez Díaz Foundation University Hospital, and Gómez Ulla Hospital.

Who can request it and how it is provided

Assistance shall be available to evangelical patients at the center as well as non-evangelicals who freely and spontaneously request it, as well as the patients’ family members and evangelical staff who wish to receive it, provided that the needs of the hospital service allow for it. Care includes visits to the sick, the celebration of worship services and the administration of sacraments, and counseling on religious and moral issues.

The provision corresponds to chaplains (ministers of worship) and suitable persons (worship assistants) designated by evangelical churches with the conformity of FEREDE and the Evangelical Council of Madrid. The latter shall appoint a general manager for all hospitals and, where there are several chaplains, a coordinator. The personnel act under a legal bond with the Evangelical Council of Madrid and have no contractual relationship with SERMAS or the Ministry of Health. SERMAS commits to facilitating spaces for prayer and worship, designating a spokesperson in each hospital, and disseminating the contact details of the assistance.

Financing, validity, and monitoring

The Evangelical Council of Madrid finances the religious services, while SERMAS provides 8,438.04 euros annually for the part-time hospital manager, an amount updatable according to the CPI and, where applicable, the increase in the SMI (Minimum Interprofessional Wage). Payment is made on a quarterly basis charged to Program 312 A, Sub-concept 22803.

The agreement is administrative in nature, is governed by Law 40/2015, of October 1, and shall be in force for four years from its completion, extendable by unanimous agreement for a maximum of four additional years. A joint monitoring commission is created with one representative from the Ministry of Health (who presides), one from SERMAS, and two from the Evangelical Council of Madrid, which shall be constituted within two months following the signing and shall meet at least once a year. The Evangelical Council shall submit an annual report before May 15.

The agreement was signed by the Minister of Health, Fátima Matute Teresa; the Vice-Minister of Health and Director General of SERMAS, Laura Gutiérrez Barreno, and the legal representative of the Evangelical Council of Madrid, Samuel Antonio López Padilla.

The publication of this agreement consolidates evangelical spiritual care as a standardized provision in Madrid’s public healthcare and provides formal coverage to a religious community with a growing presence in the region. For patients, families, and ministers of worship, the agreement represents a stable framework for access, schedules, and spaces in SERMAS hospitals, with guarantees of voluntariness, privacy, and non-interference in healthcare assistance.

Source: Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid (BOCM), no. 236, of October 3, 2026, section I.D (Announcements), page 19 (official reference: BOCM-20261003-3).