Out of Hours Emergencies
The Spanish national health system guarantees emergency care for all, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Emergency care is available even for those who are not registered with the Spanish social security system and have no private insurance. The round the clock emergency care available is provided in line with the basic human right to life.
Normally, hospitals and large medical clinics will be responsible for providing emergency care. If you need an ambulance you should dial 112 and give details of the problem and your address. Any patient who requires emergency care is entitled to ambulance transport and care if their life is at risk, regardless of their social or economic status.
The social and economic status of a patient will only be investigated once the patient has received medical care and any necessary treatment. Spanish law dictates that any medical emergency which could result in death must be treated, whether by public or private healthcare services. If the patient is a foreign national from a non-EU country, they will get free medical care in case of emergency, for example of they have a serious infectious illness, or in case of accident where their life is at risk.
All foreign citizens who have already registered at the social security offices will have the right to free medical treatment; young people under eighteen years old and pregnant women are automatically entitled to free medical care. Foreigners who do not speak Spanish can usually obtain a list of doctors and specialists who speak their own language from their country's embassy or consulate in Spain.
If you have private medical insurance, your insurer will provide you with a list of all the doctors, specialists and emergency services you can use. You should be given a small book or pamphlet called the 'Cuadro médico', which contains listings of healthcare options, doctors, specialists, emergency services, contact details, and typical healthcare costs. It is important to ensure you are given this guide by your insurer if you purchase private medical insurance: it will save you a lot of time and effort researching suitable medical practitioners.
