Who works at your health centre: nurse, midwife, paediatrician and others

Terms used

• Centro de salud — The centro de salud is your local public primary-care clinic, where you see your GP and other staff.
• Médico de familia — The médico de familia is the family doctor, or GP, who is your first contact for adult health problems.
• Enfermería — Enfermería is the nursing service at the health centre.
• Matrona — A matrona is a midwife who looks after pregnancy and women's health.

Key rules

• Direct booking: You can usually book your nurse and the admin desk without seeing the GP first.
• Referral: Physiotherapists, psychologists and specialists normally need a GP referral.
• Children: The paediatrician usually sees children up to age 14.
• Regional differences: The team and the direct-booking rules vary by region and by centre.

Your health centre is a team

A centro de salud has several professionals under one roof. The GP is only one of them. Knowing who does what saves you waiting for a GP appointment you do not need.

Who handles what

• GP (médico de familia): adult diagnosis and treatment, prescriptions, referrals to specialists and sick leave.
• Nurse (enfermería): vaccinations, blood tests, wound care and dressings, monitoring of long-term conditions, health education and home visits.
• Paediatrician: your children's health. In most centres they see children up to age 14.
• Midwife (matrona): pregnancy follow-up, family planning and women's health.
• Social worker: social and dependency issues, such as support for someone who needs daily care.
• Admin staff: appointments and your health card.

Many centres also have physiotherapists. Some have a dentist for basic or children's dental care, and a few have psychologists.

Who you can book directly

You can usually book without seeing the GP first with:

• your assigned nurse, for example for vaccines, blood tests and dressings
• the admin desk

In many regions you can also book directly with the paediatrician, the midwife and the social worker. Rules differ by region, so ask at the desk what applies where you live.

Physiotherapists, psychologists, specialists and most other services normally need a referral from your GP.

How to book

Book by phone, app or website, or at the desk. Admin staff can tell you how your region's system works and which professional suits your problem.

Not every centre has everyone

The exact team depends on your region and the size of the centre. Midwives, physiotherapists and dentists in particular are not in every centre. If yours does not have one, your GP or the admin desk can tell you where the service is offered.

The questions below cover common doubts.

Frequently asked questions

Can I book a nurse without seeing the GP first?

Yes, you can usually book your assigned nurse directly, without seeing the GP, for things like vaccines, blood tests and dressings.

Which health centre staff need a GP referral?

Physiotherapists, psychologists, specialists and most other services normally need a referral from your GP. Midwives, paediatricians and social workers are often bookable directly, but this depends on your region.

Until what age does a paediatrician see my child?

In most centres the paediatrician sees children up to age 14. After that, your child usually moves to a family doctor.

Does every health centre have a midwife or a dentist?

No, not every centre has a midwife, physiotherapist or dentist, because the team varies by region and centre size. A few centres have psychologists. Ask the admin desk which professionals work at yours.