Spanish Medical Care
Spanish Health care
With its Mediterranean diet and warm climate, the Costa Blanca is renowned as one of the healthiest regions of Spain. In fact, the World Health Organisation named it as one of the healthiest regions in the world! There are many beautiful spas and health farms available at your disposal; a visit to the mud baths on the Mar Menor is a must. Go a little further inland to the historic spa town of Fortuna, where you can be pampered in one of the most luxurious health spas in the region.
There are many “green areas” within the region where the landscape remains unspoilt and many nature parks can be discovered. Close to the large salt lake in Torrevieja, you will find a large unspoilt nature park. It is home to dozens of varieties of birds & long legged cranes, various types of ducks, pink flamingos, plus many, many more, some having developed their own protective system to deal with the warm water as the lake evaporates.
Public Health Care in Spain
Your overview of Spanish medical care is generally accurate, but a few details could use updates or clarifications. Here’s a revised version with corrections and improvements:
Spanish Medical Care
Spanish Health Care
With its Mediterranean diet and warm climate, the Costa Blanca is renowned as one of the healthiest regions in Spain. In fact, the World Health Organization has recognized it as one of the healthiest regions in the world! There are numerous beautiful spas and health farms available; a visit to the mud baths at Mar Menor is highly recommended. Go a bit further inland to the historic spa town of Fortuna, where you can be pampered in one of the most luxurious health spas in the region.
The area also boasts many “green spaces,” where the landscape remains unspoiled, and you can discover various nature parks. Close to the large salt lake in Torrevieja, you will find a vast, untouched nature park home to dozens of bird species, including long-legged cranes and pink flamingos, some of which have developed unique adaptations to thrive in the warm, evaporating waters of the lake.
Public Health Care in Spain
After the return of democracy, the Ministry of Health was restructured, and the National Institute of Public Health Care (INSALUD) was established to serve the population’s needs. The name was recently changed to Instituto Nacional de Gestión Sanitaria (INGESA). Today, approximately 98.9% of the population has the right to receive health services free of charge.
Quality of Care
The quality of health care in Spain is generally very good, especially in large urban centers. A private health sector also exists, with about 15% of the population, primarily in Madrid and Barcelona, utilizing it. The Spanish government encourages the purchase of private health insurance through tax deductions.
All Spanish citizens have the right to choose their primary care doctor. Most patients can see their primary care doctor within one day, with an estimated 8% waiting 2-4 days. Primary care doctors provide home emergency care and refer patients to specialists, except for obstetrics and optometry.
Most doctors work in team-based group practices within ambulatory centers. Specialty consultations are typically referred to specialty clinics, which may be part of a hospital or independent. There are nearly 800 hospitals in Spain, with around two-thirds of hospital beds in public facilities, where about 80% of all hospital care is delivered. Private hospitals tend to be smaller, and public hospitals may contract with private facilities for specialized consultations or to manage overflow.
Emergency and Other Services
All public hospitals provide emergency services 24 hours a day. Each administrative region in Spain has at least one large public hospital equipped with advanced technology for specialized services. As in most European countries, there are waiting lists for elective and non-emergency surgical care. To address surgical waiting lists, the Spanish government has arranged for selected hospitals to extend surgical hours, including evenings.
There are no charges for medical or hospital services in the public sector, but patients are responsible for approximately 40% of the cost of prescribed medications outside of hospitals. While pensioners and unemployed individuals have traditionally been exempt from this co-payment, the Spanish government plans to introduce a 10% co-payment for pensioners.
Nationals of EU countries can receive free medical treatment in Spain by presenting the relevant documentation (e.g., the European Health Insurance Card). However, for holiday-makers, private insurance is highly recommended.
Chemists
In Spain, what is referred to as a chemist’s in the UK is called a “Farmacia.” Farmacias are recognizable by the green flashing cross displayed outside or in the window. They can meet all your prescription and over-the-counter medication needs. Notably, many medications that require a prescription in the UK may be available over-the-counter in Spain.