Plan Targets 397-Day Wait for Dependency Support
The Catalan government has approved the rollout of Pla CURA, a cross-departmental initiative led by the Department of Social Rights and Inclusion and the Department of Health, designed to overhaul the region’s long-term care system. Under the plan, average waiting times for assessments and financial aid related to disability and dependency, currently 397 days, are set to fall to 60 days within four years, according to a 28 April 2026 resolution published in the Executive Council minutes.
Streamlined Assessments and Digital Integration
The plan introduces faster, more integrated evaluation processes for individuals applying for support under the Dependency Law (Llei de la Dependència, 2007). For those with severe dependency (Grade III), clinical reports and shared data between health and social services will replace in-person visits in many cases. Telephone or video calls will suffice for initial assessments, reducing the need for home visits. The digital platform vSocial will centralise records and enable remote processing, while artificial intelligence tools will help reduce paperwork. This shift is expected to speed up both the determination of dependency levels and the delivery of Individual Care Programmes (PIA), which can now be processed in parallel rather than sequentially.
Integrated Social and Healthcare Model
As part of the broader reform, Catalonia is expanding its Integrated Social and Healthcare Attention (AISS) model across the territory. A pilot phase launched eight home-based integrated care programmes, expanded to 18 by 2025, each assigning a single reference professional to coordinate medical and social services. According to a preliminary report from the Department of Social Rights dated June 2023, areas with advanced AISS deployment have seen up to a 20% reduction in institutionalisation rates among elderly people.
With Pla CURA, Catalonia places dependency on par with healthcare, education and pensions as pillars of the welfare state.
President Salvador Illa stated during the plan’s announcement that these measures represent the most ambitious reforms since the national Dependency Law was enacted in 2007. The full implementation follows parliamentary ratification of the plan in May 2026.
Long-Term Planning Amid Demographic Shifts
The changes respond to deep demographic shifts: rising life expectancy, growing numbers of older adults, and increasing demand for long-term care. A preliminary territorial planning report from the Department of Social Rights projects increased needs for residential and day-care services for elderly people and adults with disabilities, mental health conditions, addictions or HIV/AIDS through 2040. While promoting community-based care, the government acknowledges that future service expansion may still require new residential placements, particularly where deinstitutionalisation goals remain uncertain. For the first time, waiting lists themselves are factored into projected demand.
Residents seeking support can access information and begin applications via the official portal at social.cat, where updates on vSocial integration and regional AISS rollout schedules are being published.
Primary sources: Generalitat de Catalunya, govern.cat, Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament de Salut, eb.gencat.cat. Reported by rtve.es, social.cat, larepublica.cat, elperiodico.com, elperiodico.cat, europapress.es.
