Chief of Psychiatry Position in Zaldibar 2026: Requirements and Process

Key data

The Mental Health Network of Bizkaia has opened the process to fill the chief position of the Psychiatry Service at Zaldibar Hospital. The announcement, published in the BOE on October 22, 2026 through Resolution 1350/2026, of May 15, establishes a competitive examination based on merit with public defense of a management project, interview, and evaluation of qualifications according to the scoring criteria. For psychiatrists with permanent positions at Osakidetza or any health service of the National Health System, this is the announcement they should review now.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution announces a competitive examination based on merit to fill the position of Chief of Healthcare Service at Zaldibar Hospital, dependent on the Mental Health Network of Bizkaia. The selection process is structured in three differentiated phases:

To be appointed to the position, the candidate must achieve at least half of the maximum total score and, independently, at least half of the score corresponding to the management project. Both thresholds are mandatory and cumulative: meeting only one is not sufficient.

The Evaluation Committee responsible for resolving the competitive examination must respect the principle of balanced representation of women and men, as required by equality regulations applicable to the public sector.

Economic and operational impact

For the selected candidate, obtaining a chief position in a healthcare service at Osakidetza represents a change in salary level and management responsibility within the public network. Chief positions in the public healthcare system include specific position supplements that are added to the base salary of group A1.

For the Mental Health Network of Bizkaia, filling this position is an operational necessity: a vacant chief position means the absence of clinical leadership in the Psychiatry Service at Zaldibar Hospital, with direct impact on healthcare management and team coordination.

From the candidates' perspective, the opportunity cost of not applying within the deadline is definitive: after the 15 business days from the last publication in official bulletins, no late applications are accepted.

Who does it affect?

• Medical specialists in Psychiatry with permanent positions (permanent statutory personnel) at Osakidetza
• Group A1 civil servants with qualifications in Medicine and specialty in Psychiatry in any health service of the National Health System
• Professionals who accredit a minimum of 4 years of experience in the practice of the specialty
• Managers and human resources directors of Osakidetza and the Mental Health Network of Bizkaia, responsible for processing and internally communicating the announcement

Physicians without permanent positions (temporary, substitute, or temporary personnel), specialists in branches other than Psychiatry, or professionals in group A2 or lower cannot apply for the position.

Practical example

A psychiatrist with a permanent position at Osakidetza for 6 years, currently working as a specialist physician in another center of the Mental Health Network of Bizkaia, meets the requirements of the announcement: they are permanent statutory personnel, have qualifications in Medicine with specialty in Psychiatry, belong to group A1, and exceed the required 4 years of experience.

This professional must submit their application within the 15 business days counted from the last publication of the announcement in the corresponding official bulletins. If this deadline passes without submitting an application, they are automatically excluded from the process, with no possibility of later correction.

Once admitted, they must prepare and publicly defend a management project before the Evaluation Committee. To be appointed, they need to obtain at least 50% of the maximum score for the project and at least 50% of the maximum total score of the competitive examination. If they exceed both thresholds and obtain the highest overall score, they will be proposed for appointment as Chief of Healthcare Service at Zaldibar Hospital.

What should candidates do now?

1. Verify compliance with requirements: confirm that you have a permanent position (permanent statutory personnel or civil servant), group A1, qualifications in Medicine with specialty in Psychiatry, and at least 4 years of accredited experience.
2. Identify the date of last publication in official bulletins: the 15 business days deadline is counted from that date, not from the BOE publication on October 22, 2026. Also review the regional and official bulletins of Bizkaia.
3. Prepare the management project: this is the phase with the greatest weight in the mandatory minimum score. You must exceed 50% of its maximum score to be appointed, regardless of the rest of the score.
4. Compile documentation of qualifications: gather all documentable evidence according to the scoring criteria of the announcement (experience, training, teaching and research activity, etc.) before the deadline expires.
5. Submit the application on time: there is no possibility of late submission. Once the 15 business days deadline closes, exclusion is definitive.

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-2026-21972