Not only is the climate in Spain one of the best in
Europe, the Spanish are rated as one of the world's healthiest race of people,
with the average male life expectancy to be around 75, and female around 83,
the highest in the EU. This is partly due to the low number of heart disease
cases; a main contributory factor being the renowned Mediterranean diet
consisting of olive oil, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and, of course,
red wine, coupled with the more laid back attitude to life.
The excellent public health care system in Spain offers
free healthcare to those who are contributing towards the Spanish social security system or, in the
case of EU nationals living in Spain, are of pensionable age. For people who
are not living in Spain permanently, emergency treatment
will provided under the reciprocal EU arrangements, on the production of a
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This card has recently replaced the
E111. If you do not fall into one of these categories, i.e. you are living in Spain permanently, but not in receipt
of a UK state pension, you will need to
take out a private healthcare policy to cover you, and your dependents, in the
event of an accident or illness. Dentists It must also be remembered that dental services in Spain are not
provided under the state system, even for minors, and that the best method of
finding a reliable dentist is to go on a personal recommendation. It is also
quite likely that a private healthcare policy will exclude dental treatment.
The good news is that treatment costs are generally considerably lower than in
the UK and the availability of
appointments is greater.
Hospitals Most Spanish hospitals are modern and well-equipped and
the doctors and nurses are excellent. Although more doctors are able to consult
with you in English, there is still a large proportion that do not, even in
some of the larger tourist areas. Some areas have a voluntary translator
working in either the hospital or doctor’s surgery, but this service is not
guaranteed. If you are unsure, it is best to take along somebody to translate
for you. Due to the recognised shortage of translators within Andalucía,
the Andalucían Health Service has recently introduced a new remote translation
service to help deal with foreign patients. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, the system works through the use of a phone service, whereby both the
doctor and patient speak in real time through a translator. Presently the
language options include English, French, Arabic, German and Romanian.
Following successful trials held in Sevilla and Almería, the service is slowly
being extended throughout the region, but, as with anything, it all takes time.
There are a few differences in policy between the British
and Spanish health systems, but overall they are very similar. The biggest
difference is the level of nursing care available in Spain. In Spain a member
of the patient’s family would be expected to provide basic nursing care, such
as personal hygiene and feeding, unlike in the UK where it would be provided by
nursing staff. There are some privately run nursing agencies, who charge
commercial rates for services similar to those found in the UK, but again these
are not covered under private medical health insurance. Details of the main hospitals in the Province of Granada can be found here.
Medications Many medicines that are prescription only in the UK can be
bought over the counter in a chemist's (farmacia) in Spain, including asthma
inhalers and antibiotics. If you are registered for free healthcare under
Spanish social security and you are given a prescription, you will be required
to pay the first 40% of the cost of the medicines unless you are a pensioner,
in which case they will be dispensed free of charge. There is always a chemist open out of normal hours. If you need medication urgently, check which chemist is open in your area here.
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