Spanish Property : Property in Spain : Spanish Medicine : Medicine in Spain

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Medicine in Spain - Medical treatment - visiting Spain

You will need to get an EHIC form from a UK post office. This will entitle you to free medical treatment in Spain for up to three months but only for emergency treatment.

The EHIC form is not valid if you work in Spain or have left the UK permanently.

Medicine in Spain - Medical treatment - living in Spain

If you are below retirement age and are going to live in Spain, you will be required to make a monthly contribution to the Spanish health service.

This forms part of the Social Security payments (National Insurance contributions in the UK). The payments will be deducted from salary by the employer.

This will entitle you to free treatment in the Spanish NHS.

However, it is advisable to make top-up payments for health insurance as payments do not cover all areas of treatment eg. an operation cost may be covered but not the food and personal care in the hospital.

The healthcare is good in Spain, but around 40 percent of hospitals do not treat NHS patients.

You will need to register your change of address with the Overseas Branch of the Department of Health before the UK, to enable all the paper work to be forwarded to the Spanish authorities so you can obtain a cartilla (a Spanish National Health card) which you will need to show to obtain treatment.

Medicine in Spain - Medicines

Perscription and non-perscription drugs and medicines are available from farmācias (pharmacies), distinguished by a large green cross.

They are able to dispense many drugs which would be available only on presciption in other countries.

Check how to take any medicines are many medicines in Spain are not taken orally.

Medicine in Spain - Dentists

Dental treatment is not usually available free of charge as all dentists practice privately.

A list of dentistas can be found in the yellow pages of the telephone directory.

Dental treatment costs should be covered by private medical treatment.

Medicine in Spain - Emergency or Immediate Health Care Requirement

If you are ill and have not registered with a doctor, or if it is weekend or fiesta time and your usual doctor is not available, go to the nearest Hospital Casualty Department.
They are most helpful and you will always see a doctor fairly promptly.
Take your form EHIC (E111), form E106 or form E121, your passport or your official Spanish health (SIP) card.
Where necessary, doctors do make home calls; but you need to phone or get a friend to call at the surgery.

E106 - This is for people who have moved permanently to Spain but have not reached pensionable age. Its period of effectiveness depends on the state of your past National Insurance contributions record.
The period of medical cover commences from the date you leave the UK.
You must however apply and receive your E106 entitlement form before leaving the UK to ensure you are covered and to know what that cover entitles you to.
The E106 is available from:

The Pension Service,
Tyneview Park,
Medical Benefits,
Newcastle upon Tyne.
NE98 1BA.

Tel 0191 218 7547, Fax 0191 218 7376 or Email tvp.customer_care@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

E121 - Some male expats under pensionable age become eligible for medical cover as dependants on their wife reaching pensionable age. For details contact the above address.

Note - If you are coming to live in Spain (even if just visiting but suffer from a particular illness), it is sensible to have a resume of your medical history translated into Spanish, in particular detailing any specific illnesses, drugs required or allergies.
It is most sensible to have the basic bilingual details in writing always carried with you.

Medicine in Spain - Emergency Travel to Hospital - no ambulance available or contactable

If for any reason you need to use your own vehicle to get to a hospital in an emergency, hang a WHITE towel, shirt or other article out of the window of your vehicle.

Switch on your head lights.

Emergency flashers on.

The police will recognise these signs as an emergency situation and will give you assistance.

The information contained within is for general information and guidance only.
For more specific advise, contact an expert on the specific subject matter or a solicitor.

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