Cooperation and coordination in the health sector

A comparative assessment of the Intergovernmental Council of the National Health System (CISNS)

Authors

  • César Colino Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia
  • Eloísa del Pino Instituto de Políticas y Bienes Públicos
  • Jorge Hernández-Moreno Instituto de Políticas y Bienes Públicos

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18042/cepc/rep.210.11

Abstract

For some, the Intergovernmental Council of the National Health System (CISNS) could be regarded as a model of cooperation and coordination within the Spanish system of intergovernmental relations. For other observers, however, this body has failed to fulfill the functions that might be expected of it and epitomizes all the problems and shortcomings of the Spanish territorial model. Since the recent pandemic, this debate has intensified, with data and arguments supporting both views. However, to date, there has been no systematic assessment of this body’s actual performance in terms of its capacity for intergovernmental stewardship in health system governance and its similarities with comparable bodies abroad. This article proposes and applies, in exploratory fashion, an original analytical framework adapted from studies of health governance and intergovernmental relations, to assess the functioning and performance of the CISNS, seeking to measure four key functions of its expected intergovernmental capacity: policy and vision, stakeholder voice, information and intelligence, and legislation and regulation. Drawing on a comparative review of similar intergovernmental councils and the analysis of available data and documents, the study reveals that the CISNS shows some structural limitations in certain functions and ranks in the middle in terms of effectiveness compared to other intergovernmental health councils.

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Published

2025-12-02

How to Cite

Colino, C., Pino, E. del, & Hernández-Moreno, J. (2025). Cooperation and coordination in the health sector: A comparative assessment of the Intergovernmental Council of the National Health System (CISNS). Revista De Estudios Políticos, (210), 325–370. https://doi.org/10.18042/cepc/rep.210.11

Issue

Section

MONOGRAPH