Health/doctor services in spain for uk residents

Hello,

would be grateful for information on health services for uk residents in Spain.

Can they register with a doctor as they do in uk?

Do Spanish doctors do housecalls?

What are the charges for medical care?

Is insurance necessary?

What is the main difference between Spain and uk when it comes to medical treatment?

I would appreciate any advice you can give.

Thank you,

Roderick.

This message was last edited by roderick on 09/07/2016.

Hi Roderick

You can only use your EHIC Card if you are a non-resident in Spain,otherwise you will have to  use your UK Private Medical  Insurance.. See Website below for conditions for UK Citizens living as Residents in Spain. You can  Register with a normal English Private Doctor if you are a Non-Resident in Spain. Charging Rates are quite expensive though.There is also Helicopteros Sanitarios who I believe now do Holiday Memberships on application. See below.

http://healthcareinspain.eu/living-in-spain/

http://www.helicopterossanitarios.com/en/helicopteros-sanitarios-ser-socio.aspx

I think by "uk residents in Spain" you maybe mean UK citizens, resident in Spain? And I'm guessing you're asking about the equivalent of the NHS?

For new residents in Spain, you will need private medical insurance until such time as you are contributing to the Spanish social security system (like National Insurance) through employment or self-employment. There is also an option to pay for access to the healthcare system (I believe around €60 per month), depending on the region where you live.

edit: Those already in receipt of a UK pension can obtain an S1 form from the International Pension Centre and use this to register for free healthcare in Spain (thanks John for pointing out that I failed to mention this!)

Official information here

Speaking from experience in my local area the Spanish NH is second to none. Online appointments available and only time one waits is when medico or cura pops out for their coffee break. 

Medicos and curas do house calls but the former prefer not to as it would seem their main roll is issuing repeat prescriptions  or organising hospital appointments with specialists as most health problems appear to be out of their remit.

Consequently one is advised, not just to go to Urgencias when any emergency occurs, but use own transportation. Local ambulances appear to be used more for taking patients, already diagnosed, to the many hospitals and clinics here for treatment.

Hospital  urgencias are staffed mostly with doctors. One is generally assed within 10 mins. After which the patient is attended to dependant upon the severity of health issues. Life or death issues not being pushed to the back because an obnoxious drunk takes precedent. 

Hospitals are VERY clean. Patients 1 or 2 to a room with ensuite facilities. Comfortable sofas or chairs, with offers of bed linen,  for family members ..who are encouraged to stay 24/7  Food is excellent with inexpensive cafeterias for visitors. Most importantly doctors and nursing are brilliant and friendly.

Before Brexit we UK  pensionistas received free  health cover the same as the indigenous folk. Now who knows what will happen. However suggest in the  meantime if in receipt of UK state pension you organise getting a medical card and doctor. Or insurance cover if not.. Bound to be someone in your area who will assist in this.

Summing up I would say the main differences between the two systems is that one is broken..and one brilliant. Possibly the reason for the latter is that the Spanish NH prioritises the young and the elderly and those of working age encouraged to have insurance. 

Windtalker:  The UK government pays in full any medical bills a UK citizen is likely to run up when hospitalized in Spain

That needs qualifying. They only pay as you say when the treatment is for a tourist treated on an EHIC. The same applies to Spanish tourists treated in UK on an EHIC, UK bill Spain.

For those who are resident in Spain and thus registered with an S1 (previously an E121)  the UK pays a fixed fee of around £3,000 p.a.  Any treatment obtained is covered by that no matter what the cost..

Anyone resident in UK gets free NHS cover as that is UK law.

Windtalker.** EDITED - Against forum rules **

30 years ago the NHS in UK was failing because everyone living in UK used and where possible abused the system because it was free.

Also if it wasn't for those who originated from aboard, via Commonwealth and latterly  EU  to become the doctors nurses and cleaners/ porters et al it would have gone under long ago.

As for  people worldwide taking advantage ! WHERE do you get your info.  Possibly, you are talking about  the Brit expats who pretend to still reside in UK and who use both systems.

OP asked what the system was like here and I answered truthfully. One hopes you have been more fortunate than some of us who have used a NHS that is truly BRILLIANT and certainly costs Spain more than the agreed financial deal.

Just for the sake of a bit of balance - ** EDITED - Against forum rules **, but neither should it be taken for granted that the same standards will be found everywhere. The Spanish system suffers the same problems as the UK's in terms of cutbacks and shortages (check the Spanish press!) My OH has had annual check-ups for a heart condition for more than 15 years, but a couple of years ago was told the cardiologist has retired along with three others, and none of them have been replaced; still waiting for an appointment, and the attitude when asked what's happening is just a shrug of the shoulders. I have experienced some pretty grim, old crumbling hospitals (I saw an ant infestation in a waiting room once that nobody else seemed to notice). Staff in some places can be pretty hostile to foreigners; do NOT expect English to be spoken (although translators are supposedly available on request, in an emergency you need to accept that you are in Spain & you may have to speak and understand Spanish). The facilities for family mentioned sound wonderful, until you realise that family members are not so much "encouraged" as expected to attend to patients: a true life example - I took an elderly American resident to the hospital for a cataract operation as a day patient; when I went back to collect him, the nurse started to give me all sorts of post-op instructions until I stopped her and explained that I was merely providing transportation for a neighbour, and that he lived alone. She looked at me with utter contempt, asked where are his family, I replied, in the USA, to which she reacted with even more disgust and asked why he doesn't go back there then. I had already administered heparin injections to him prior to the op, as again, they expect family to do things like that.

I have also had some pretty good service at times, so I'm only describing these experiences to illustrate that the state system can vary a great deal. Many people do sing it's praises, but it's not perfect - not by a long shot. And finally, do not underestimate the importance of being able to communicate effectively with medical staff in times of stress. If you don't speak Spanish, you should consider this aspect very seriously.

Anyone resident in UK gets free NHS cover as that is UK law.

Yes this correct and as said many times this is NOT the fault of the EU and it will NOT change when exit is complete unless UK govt changes the law.

Well, you certainly seem to know more about what's going to happen in the UK than any of our potential "leaders". 

From my post: "Just for the sake of a bit of balance - ** EDITED - Against forum rules **,"

Just for the record, I am at a loss as to what was against forum rules. As far as I remember, the removed part of my post said, "floella's glowing experience is not unique..." ("but neither should it be taken for granted that the same standards will be found everywhere."

"As for  people worldwide taking advantage ! WHERE do you get your info"

As a matter of interest my sister  has a friend who lives in Rio. This chap, who is an executive for a Brazilian commodity trading company, has business visas that allow him to come and go to the EU at will. 

Some years ago he was diagnosed with cancer and other assorted ailments and he gets all his treatment in London on the NHS. He couldn't believe his luck the first time - he went to a doctors in London to try and get a prescription for something or other and the next thing he was signed up for a suite of MRI scans and admission into hospital for the first of what turned out to be a long series of operations - extending over five years. He uses my sister's address and stays there post-op to recover enough to catch a flight home. Whenever he needs anything doing, medicalwise, he coincides it with a trip to UK. He has never even been asked to show his passport. He explained that now he knows the ropes he realises that many of his colleagues from around the world come over for medical care, just like many women from Lagos & Accra come over to use maternity hospitals - which has a spin-off benefit that then the offspring is a UK citizen and mum & siblings then qualify for a passport. 

Two years ago I sat next to the reception in A&E in Vauxhall, London and the constant flow of foreigners (mostly African/Asian) were all unable to give the receptionist any address, or the name of their doctor, or the name of their surgery.....it was like a joke. The receptionist gave up each time and just asked them to sit and wait. I think this is what Windtalker might be talking about.

My personal experience was medically I was cared for using EHIC and for that I am grateful. The hospital was awful, the table for use over the bed had dried stale food stuck in the hinges, the nurses with one exception were surly and quite rough, no-one spoke English and no translator service was offered, it was noisy all day and night, they left the room door open so everyone from visitors to staff passed by on very busy corridor. I was in hospital for 10 days and didn't have my hair brushed once, I was too weak to do it myself. It was grim. At one point a young man was put in the bed next to me in a two bed room I felt very stressed about this being post op but thankfully he was moved after a couple of hours. I would not like to repeat the experience.

The big difference is the funding of the NHS as it is residency based whereas in other countries of the EU it is contributory based, big difference.

Hi,

Many thanks to all who have replied to my question about medical care in Spain for uk residents.

All this information will be most useful in helping me make some decisions.

Thank you.

Roderick.

Recently I was admitted to hospital as an emergency. After waiting a long time to be 'found' a bed I was put into a mixed sex room with five other patients. Whenever I asked for anything the nursing staff replied, I think, I will be with you soon. After three days in this room and not being able to understand what the patients or staff were saying to me my travel insurance company telephoned me.  I  said that I could not understand anything the staff or patients were saying. The insurance company said that they will not supply a translator as being English I should be able to understand the nurses!

By the way I forgot to mention that this was in Glasgow!!!!!!!

Seriously, I have been treated in Spain and the expertise is far superior to the work carried out in the U.K. in my experience. The main problem here is PAPERWORK. Get over that and you will be treated like a human being not like cattle as in the U.K.

Glaswegian is regional awe right hen.