The Healthcare in Spain is considered one of the bests in the world, also the Mediterranean areas of Spain are amongst the healthiest places in the world to live, a fact endorsed by the World Health Organization.
Public healthcare in Spain works really well, the only problem for foreign people is the amount of boring documents that you should fill to have the Spanish Social Security number, which you get only after having residence permission and N.I.E. (Foreign people identification number).
This process can take a few months and it’s recommended to get the help of a professional.
Once you have a Social Security number you will be able to go to all Spanish public Hospitals and Medical Centres. A few years ago it was very easy to get the Spanish public healthcare for foreign people, nowadays it’s a little bit more difficult. The private insurances and clinics are maybe a better option for foreign people who want to stay in Spain for a few months a year.
Private healthcare in Spain is expanding very fast, nowadays the whole Mediterranean region is full of private Medical Centres with high qualified professionals. You will be able to speak English in every private Medical Centre. Most of foreign people choose the private healthcare to avoid all the documentation needed for the public healthcare.
Chemists
You can find chemists in every city in Spain, they are easy to recognize by the green cross sign. Prices may vary from one chemist to other, usually according to its localization. You can buy the most common medicines without problem, but for some specific products you need to have a doctor prescription. At least one chemist on each city should be open 24 hours a day, it’s called “farmacia de guardia”.
