Health, Hospitals and Pharmacies in Spain
Spain has a well developed national health system that is free of charge for citizens of EEU member nations who are carrying an up to date E111 form, and for Swiss citizens.
The E-111 form should be acquired at a health care centre in your country of origin before travelling. Private doctors and hospitals will not accept the E-111 form. If you wish to receive private medical treatment you will have to bear the costs yourself or make sure you are covered by adequate insurance. If EU member patients do not have the E-111 form, they will have to pay hospital, doctors’ and pharmacists’ costs in advance and their national organizations will reimburse them when they present the bills.
Travellers from Andorra, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Morocco, Paraguay, Peru and Russia should obtain the relevant certificate from their country, in order to receive medical treatment.
Travellers from countries outside the European Union and the countries mentioned above should arrange travel insurance before leaving home and in fact it is also advisable for all travellers to Spain to get extra health insurance cover in the event of needing medical attention while travelling.
You can obtain general information about the health care system in Spain at the district offices of the INSS - the National Social Security Institute, (Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social), The National Institute for Health (Instituto Nacional de la Salud), or at the autonomous regions local heath offices.
Emergency and Hospital Treatment
In the event of a medical emergency call the Servicios de Urgencias which has multi lingual operators.
Emergency (Instituto Nacional de Gestión Sanitaria)
Tel: 112
Website: Spanish Health System - Instituto Nacional de Gestión Sanitaria (ex INSALUD)
Telephone numbers of first aid stations can also be found at the front of telephone directories and many pharmacies have a list of local clinics and hospitals where emergency medical treatment is available
If you or someone you are travelling with has to go to the Accident & Emergency Department of a hospital (Urgencias) the patient will be taken into the treatment rooms and family members or friends are not allowed in.
A companion should go to the office to register the patient giving name, nationality, passport number, and insurance if known. When the doctors decide the patient can receive visitors, a companion or family member will be to the treatment room.
For European citizens it is important to establish that the consulting medical practitioner works within the Spanish State Health Service as treatment under the E111 arrangements is only provided by practitioners within the Spanish Health Service. If you need to call out a doctor in an emergency, make it clear that you have an E111 and that you will want to be treated under the EC arrangements. Any time you need treatment, have a photocopy of your E111 ready; show the doctor the original and hand over the copy.
Doctors
If you wish to see a doctor who works within the Spanish public health service, they will almost certainly all be Spanish. If you wish to see an English speaking doctor consult the local tourist office or your consulate. General practitioners are listed in the Yellow Pages under 'Médicos' and specialists under their speciality.
Pharmacies
Chemists (farmacias) have a green cross outside. Farmacias provide most medicines and they can also give advice about minor ailments but unless you speak Spanish you may be more comfortable consulting a doctor that speaks your language. Pharmacies usually open from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm and 4:30-8:00 pm though each town has a local duty chemist that is open 24 hours and you can find the address on the list posted in all chemist windows, or in the local paper.
Medicines
Medicines prescribed by health service practitioners can be obtained from any pharmacy (farmacia). You will have to pay up to 40% of the cost unless you are a UK or other EEA pensioner, in which case the medicines will be free of charge.
Dental treatment is not provided under the state system and costs will not be reimbursed.
Useful Links
Department of Health UK Travel Advice
Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (in Spanish)
Instituto Catalan de la Salud (in Spanish)
