I am 73 years old and leave my home in England to stay with my Daughter in Spain for 5 months over the winter period. I have an NIE number and I registered on the Pardron. Is it possible to register with a social doctor in Spain and If so do I need to produce confirmation of my age. I have read somewhere in the Sur that you need to contact the British Consulated and get them to send confirmation (in Spanish) that I am an OAP before I can visit the Doctor. Can anyone help with this question. aggie

As Concierges for the Spanish section of BE we would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

We feel sure that one of our Moderators Fred James will be along shortly to tell you the correct method. We only know what you have to do if you are moving here longer term so cannot advise you.

Please let us know if you need any further help.

Rosemary and Graham

are you saying that you come here for 5 months each winter?

if that's the case you should be covered by your EHIC card which you can get before you leave the UK - that together with your passport should be sufficient for up to 6 months health coverage a year

if you are resident here though you should contact the International Pension Centre in Newcastle http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Dire...acts/DG_178684 and get an S1 form which you take to the local health centre where they should issue you with a health card

Although in some places the EHIC card is allowed specifically for emergency treatment
I know there are other extensions to this, but I have heard of people being turned away .... Best to check I guess, as you say

exactly.......& of course the EHIC is only supposed to be for emergency treatment as you say

it's probably safer for the OP if as she says she is on the padron with a NIE etc., to just get the S1 form & be done with it

Makes me wonder why the OP has an NIE and is on the padron if they are only here for 5 months of the year? Should really have de-registered and come off the padron if they no longer live in Spain.

So, if that's the case, then the EHIC plus normal travel insurance should suffice.

However, if the OP still 'lives' (is resident) here, then the S1 is the only correct route to take (I think).


I Know it all gets a bit complicated if you are living in both countries (50:50 say), if you go the S1 route then I suspect you will be de-registered from the NHS in UK.

But in reality in general you are not ...... one hand doesnt know what the other one is doing

But if everyone obeyed the rules and told their UK doctor they were leaving and handed in their medical cards it would ease the situation.
I know a resident pensioner here with various properties that goes back to the UK for ops and other treatment and they know he lives in Spain, his wife had her hips replaced recently in the UK.

We thought we HAD de-registered in the UK, and even had an E121 to cover us in Spain, but when my husband went in once to see the Doc for a bug he picked up whilst visiting, turned out he was still on the books.

We de-registered with our doctor in the UK and had print out summaries of our medical records and E121 like you but as we were having our mail redirected we know that we were still under the surgery because medical reminders were being sent. It is up to the surgery to send your records back to FHSA for the area. Normally though what happens is that when you register with a different doctor in the UK they request your old records and the FHSA ask the old surgery for them. You (same as us) did not register with a different doctor in the UK so your records stayed where they were.

Rosemary

Many thanks for the reply´s. As I understand it if you are in spain for more than 90 days you have to register on the padron by law. Which I have done as I spend 5 months in Spain and 7 months in the uk where I have a doctor, pay rates and Income tax etc. With regard to my E111 I understand this is only for use if I had to attend A&E at the costa del sol hospital. However, are you saying that I can use my E111 at the local medical centre if I go down with the flu? I cannot get private medical insurance because of my age and medical history. Obviously It would not be in my best interests to de register my uk entitlement I have found out that in Gib that oap´s on holiday are allowed to sign on with a doctor and get free treatment for one month with your E111. I am now informed that if you are on holiday and an OAP in Spain there is a facility for signing on with a local GP but you need written confirmation in Spanish that you are an OAP. What I want to know is has any member gone down this route? I realise by registering on the pardron I have gone from a visitor to a resident which may not have been be in my best interests. aggie

Thanks for the clarification!

as I said previously - contact Newcastle & get form S1 - that is what you have do do - that is the info you need from the UK