70 doctor positions for prisons 2026: specialties, requirements and how to apply

Key data

The Ministry of Interior opens 70 specialist doctor positions to join the penitentiary public service, the largest accumulated pool in recent years by adding the vacant positions from the 2024 and 2025 calls. The Resolution of October 21, 2026 from the Undersecretary regulates the selective process by free access in the Penitentiary Healthcare Faculty Body, published in the BOE of October 27, 2026.

For specialist doctors seeking job stability in the public sector, this call represents a concrete opportunity with a significant number of positions and well-defined access conditions.

What does this regulation establish?

The call regulates admission, through the general free access system, to the Penitentiary Healthcare Faculty Body. The 70 positions are distributed in two specialties with differentiated qualification requirements:

Regarding qualifications, the call expressly admits:

• Spanish qualifications: Bachelor or Degree in Medicine plus the corresponding specialty.
• Foreign qualifications duly homologated.
• NHS enabling certifications (National Health System).

The process is governed by TREBEP (Consolidated Text of the Basic Statute of Public Employees), RD 364/1995 (General Regulation for the Admission of Personnel to the Service of the General State Administration) and the common bases of Order HFP/688/2017. All acts of the selective process will be published in the BOE and on the websites of the Ministry of Interior and Penitentiary Institutions.

The fact that vacant positions from 2024 and 2025 are accumulated explains the volume of 70 positions, higher than usual in previous calls for this body.

Economic and operational impact

For aspiring doctors, admission to the Penitentiary Healthcare Faculty Body (Subgroup A1) means accessing a career civil servant position with the remuneration and stability conditions of that subgroup in the General State Administration.

From the perspective of the penitentiary system, the accumulation of 70 positions—resulting from two unsuccessful calls—reflects a structural need for healthcare coverage in Spanish penitentiary centers. The coverage of these positions has a direct impact on the quality of care for the incarcerated population and on the workload of healthcare staff already in service.

For NHS health centers and hospitals, this call may result in specialist doctors in Family Medicine or Psychiatry moving to the penitentiary field, a factor to consider in staffing planning.

Who does it affect?

• Specialist doctors in Family and Community Medicine seeking access to state public service.
• Specialist doctors in Internal Medicine with interest in the penitentiary field.
• Specialist doctors in Psychiatry who want to consolidate their employment position as career civil servants.
• Doctors with homologated foreign qualifications or with NHS enabling certification, who meet access requirements.
• HR managers of penitentiary centers who must plan the incorporation of new faculty staff.
• Management of NHS health centers and hospitals that may see their specialist staffing affected.

Practical example

A doctor with the specialty of Psychiatry obtained through the MIR system in Spain, who currently works in a public hospital with a temporary contract, can apply for this call to compete for one of the 15 Psychiatry positions of the Penitentiary Healthcare Faculty Body (Subgroup A1).

If they pass the selective process—governed by TREBEP and RD 364/1995—they access a career civil servant position in the General State Administration, with the stability and remuneration conditions of Subgroup A1. The acts of the process (lists of admitted candidates, exam dates, results) will be published in the BOE and on the websites of the Ministry of Interior and Penitentiary Institutions, so they must actively monitor both sources.

A doctor with homologated foreign qualifications or with NHS enabling certification is in the same position: they can compete on equal terms in the free access process.

What should applicants do now?

1. Verify compliance with qualification requirements: check that you have the title of Bachelor or Degree in Medicine plus the required specialty (Family and Community Medicine, Internal Medicine or Psychiatry), or that the foreign qualification is homologated or you have NHS enabling certification.
2. Consult the specific bases of the call: read in full the Resolution of October 21, 2026 published in the BOE and the common bases of Order HFP/688/2017 to know the deadline for submitting applications, required documentation and registration procedure.
3. Activate alerts on the BOE and official websites: all acts of the process (provisional and final lists of admitted candidates, exam dates, results) are published in the BOE and on the websites of the Ministry of Interior and Penitentiary Institutions. Set up alerts to not miss any deadline.
4. Prepare supporting documentation: gather in advance the titles, specialty certificates and, where applicable, the homologation resolution or NHS enabling certification.
5. HR managers of healthcare centers: anticipate possible departures of specialists from staff who may apply for this call and plan temporary coverage.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-22469