Health Ministry sets minimum services for the November medical strike

The Department of Health of the Government of Aragon has established the minimum services that must be maintained in all health centers dependent on the Aragonese Health Service during the indefinite strike called by the United Doctors Union (SMU). The decision is formalized in Order SAN/1653/2026, dated November 11, published in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 220, dated November 13, 2026 (reference BOA20261113016, Section III). In its first phase, the call affects the days from November 16 to 28, 2026.

Scope of the call

The order specifies that the strike affects medical personnel “as well as licensed personnel in training” from health centers dependent on the Aragonese Health Service, during morning, afternoon, and night shifts. The text justifies the administrative intervention based on the need to “indicate the corresponding personnel resources that will attend to the minimum services on that date.”

According to the articles, the minimums have been determined based on four purposes:

• Guarantee the continuity of healthcare.
• Ensure urgent and non-deferrable care.
• Cover permanent care devices.
• Protect the safety of people and facilities.

The Department led by Ángel Sanz Barea emphasizes that efforts have been made to ensure that the limitation of the right to strike be “strictly indispensable” to ensure such purposes, with criteria of proportionality between the sacrifices imposed on both parties. Furthermore, the call is conditioned upon the maintenance of these minimums throughout the entire period.

Coverage and responsibilities

The annex with personnel allocations is not reproduced in the text of the order: it refers to its consultation at two official addresses, the portal mia.aragon.es/documentos —with the Secure Verification Code CSVA801EAG3K71A0XFIL— and the page aragon.es/personal-del-salud/servicios-minimos-en-huelgas.

Execution falls upon the Sector Managements and the Management of Health Urgencies and Emergencies of the Aragonese Health Service and, failing that, upon the directions of each center, which must adopt the appropriate measures to cover the minimums. These services will be provided preferably by personnel who do not exercise the right to strike, whenever possible.

Non-compliance has consequences: stoppages, alterations, or failures to comply that affect the established minimum services will be subject to “the corresponding responsibilities in accordance with current regulations.” For application purposes, the regulation refers to the regulation of statutory and civil servant personnel and the specific regulation for personnel with a labor relationship in the service of the Autonomous Community of Aragon. The text indicates that the allocations have been previously negotiated with the representatives of the calling trade union organization.

Legal Basis and Background

The competence of the Government of Aragon to guarantee essential services derives from Article 10 of Royal Decree-Law 17/1977, of March 4, on labor relations. The order also invokes the Agreement of March 21, 2012 of the Government of Aragon, published in the Official Gazette of Aragon number 57, of March 22, 2012, which delegated the adoption of these measures to the head of the Department competent in health matters, and is supported by Articles 6.7 and 10 of the same regulation.

The immediate precedent is Order SAN/1629/2026, of November 5, which determined the minimum services of the health centers of the Aragonese Health Service for the general strike of November 11, 2026, and whose correction of errors was published on November 11. The new order is dated November 11 and is signed in Zaragoza by the Minister of Health, Ángel Sanz Barea.

Impact for Patients

The regulation directly affects the citizens of Aragon who visit any center of the Aragonese Health Service during thirteen days: the established minimums determine which healthcare activity is maintained in consultations, emergencies, and permanent facilities for the duration of the strike. It also affects licensed personnel in training, whose morning, afternoon, and night shifts are subject to those staffing levels, and conditions the validity of the strike monitoring on the respect for essential services.

Source: Official Gazette of Aragon, number 220, of November 13, 2026, Section III (official reference: BOA20261113016).