The Hestia Chair in Integrated Health and Social Care at UIC Barcelona is the result of cooperation between the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Fundación Hestia. The chair was created with the aim of increasing awareness of the growing number of people with multiple complex chronic health and social care needs. This mission is shared by the Fundación Hestia, whose main activity consists of improving the quality of life of people who are socially vulnerable or have disabilities due to complex chronic illness, dependence or mental illness.

Under the leadership of Dr Xavier Corbella, this Chair promotes teaching and qualitative and quantitative scientific research on the best practices for addressing the determinants of social vulnerability, such as ageing, chronicity, multimorbidity and dependence. It encourages innovation and the promotion of organisational systems and services that facilitate the improvement of the health and social care provision model.  

The Hestia Chair aims to drive teaching and clinical research in fields linked to health and social care, such as primary care, specialised care and mental health care. The aim of this work is to foster a more inter-disciplinary and comprehensive vision of the different agents involved in the care of people with complex chronic illness and significant social needs.