Catalonia has to deal with the ageing of the population, which will evolve from 19% of people over 65 to 35% in 2050 and from 4% of people over 80 to 12-15% in 2050, according to Idescat projections. A challenge that will require the response of the health and social services systems, which will have to increase interaction, coordination and cooperation.

To respond to these challenges, work is being done on social and health integration, pursuing one of the priority objectives of the legislature and the Government Plan: social transformation and the creation of a person-centred care system to provide a better response to the needs of the most vulnerable groups in terms of health and well-being. The Plan also focuses on strengthening social services by putting people at the centre of policies, especially those with complex needs, dependency or vulnerability. In relation to the design of public policies, there will be a shift from two parallel strategies—social and health—to a single integrated country planning strategy, ensuring an efficient allocation of resources and avoiding duplication.