Spanish Medical Treatment

The Spanish medical service has an excellent reputation employing some top class doctors and surgeons along with some multi-lingual private hospitals offering high levels of medical treatments at competitive prices.

The healthcare system in Spain is a combination of both private and public funding and if you live and work in Spain and pay social security payments, then medical treatment is free. Spanish surgeons are highly qualified and must train for six or seven years before they can obtain their degree in general medicine, and specialist fields such a plastic surgery will need a further study time of at least five years.

The Spanish National Health Service has a countrywide network of health centres and hospitals. The health centres offer primary health care services with the aim that one is located within 15 minutes of any place of residence. In rural areas and small villages there are local surgeries which open on certain days.

Hospitals offer specialist attention with access via referral from primary healthcare services. Accident and Emergency services are available at hospitals and some health centres.

Spain's National Health Service is regarded as among the best in Europe with hospitals that are well run and offer a very high standard of care, but limited state treatment is available to foreign residents and after that you need private healthcare.

Almost all treatments are available here, including those that require advanced technology and specialist skills.  As a rough guide the cost of an operation Spain is about 30% to 50% below the cost of similar treatment in the UK´s private sector. For example, cosmetic surgery in Spain is around 60% cheaper than in the UK, and orthopaedic surgery including knee or hip replacements are around half of the cost you would pay in the UK.

Private medical treatment in Spain has many advantages: