Podcast: Raising Healthy Children in Cantabria: A Paediatrician’s Perspective on Public Healthcare
If you’re moving to Northern Spain with children, one of the biggest questions is almost always the same:
“What is the healthcare system like for kids?”
In our latest episode of The Move to Cantabria Podcast, we sat down with a local public-sector paediatrician who made the move from Madrid to Cantabria. Her husband is Cantabrian, and together they’re raising two children here — giving her a unique perspective as both doctor and mother.
This episode is not about theory. It’s about lived experience.
How Children’s Public Healthcare Works in Cantabria
In Spain’s public system, children are typically assigned a paediatrician at their local health centre (centro de salud). This is your first point of contact for:
Routine check-ups
Vaccinations
Growth monitoring
Common illnesses (fevers, infections, etc.)
Developmental follow-up
For many international families — particularly those from systems where children see a general practitioner — having direct access to a paediatric specialist feels incredibly reassuring.
Appointments can usually be booked:
Online via the regional health system
By phone
Or in person at your local centre
Once registered, same-day appointments for sick children are very common.
And When Hospital Care Is Needed?
For more complex cases or specialist referrals, families are referred through the public system to Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla in Santander.
Valdecilla is widely recognised as one of Spain’s most advanced public hospitals and serves as a national reference centre in several specialties, including paediatrics.
You don’t go there for routine care — but when you need it, it’s there. And it’s exceptional.
For many parents considering a move, knowing this level of hospital care is available locally provides enormous peace of mind.
What Surprised Her About Raising Children Here
Moving from Madrid to Cantabria wasn’t just a professional change — it was a lifestyle shift.
In the episode, we talk about:
The slower pace of life
Outdoor childhoods — beaches, mountains, green space
Community visibility (being known, not anonymous)
The preventative focus of the public health system
Her perspective as a paediatrician is clear: childhood health is influenced by far more than medicine. Environment, routine, stress levels, and community matter.
And Cantabria offers something quite powerful in that respect.
The Honest Reality
Like any public healthcare system, there are rhythms and limitations:
Bureaucracy can take patience
Systems operate primarily in Spanish
Registration is key to smooth access
But what families consistently notice is continuity of care and a strong preventative structure.
It’s not perfect — but it works. And it works particularly well for children.
For Families Considering the Move
If healthcare anxiety is holding you back from relocating, this episode offers grounded reassurance.
You’ll come away understanding:
How children access care
What to expect from your local health centre
How referrals work
When families combine public and private care
What it really feels like to raise children here
Most importantly, you’ll hear from someone who chose Cantabria — not just to work in it, but to raise her own family in it.
🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Move to Cantabria Podcast — Celebrating Life in Cantabria.
