Healthcare in Spain for International Residents — The Access Gap
Spain has one of the strongest healthcare systems in Europe — but access for international residents and visitors involves several practical barriers.
Public system access requires registration, a NIE number, and either social security contributions, EU residency status, or enrolment under the Convenio Especial. Getting a GP assigned through the public system takes time and documentation — and until you are registered, you have no routine access to the public system for non-emergency care.
Private clinics in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Málaga often have English-speaking doctors — but this is not guaranteed everywhere, appointments often require waiting days or weeks, and the cost of private in-person consultations typically ranges from €80 to €150.
English-language telemedicine closes this gap — for the time between arriving and being fully registered, for acute issues that cannot wait for a clinic appointment, and for the significant proportion of international residents who prefer to consult in English regardless of their registration status.
Our OMC-registered doctors consult in English by secure video call — same day, from anywhere in Spain — with full clinical documentation issued the same day.
What We Can Help With
Our doctors assess and manage a wide range of acute and non-urgent medical concerns, including:
Respiratory and ENT
- Cold, flu, sinusitis, and bronchitis
- COVID-19 symptoms and post-COVID concerns
- Sore throat, tonsillitis, and ear infections
- Chest infections and persistent cough
- Mild asthma flares
Infections
- Urinary tract infections — assessment and treatment where clinically indicated
- Skin infections
- Respiratory infections requiring clinical assessment
- Gastrointestinal infections
General and systemic
- Fever in adults
- Headaches and migraine
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain
- Fatigue and general malaise
Skin and eyes
- Rashes, sunburn reactions, eczema flares, and mild allergic reactions
- Conjunctivitis and mild eye irritation
Musculoskeletal
- Back pain, neck pain, and muscle strains
- Minor musculoskeletal injuries
Other
- Concerns about current medication or ongoing treatment
- Medication continuation — if you have run out of medication from your home country, your doctor assesses your treatment and issues appropriate clinical documentation where clinically indicated
- Medical letters and documentation — sick notes, referral letters
- Travel health advice
- Second opinions on diagnoses or treatment plans received in Spain
What Your Consultation Includes
Full GP assessment
Your doctor takes a complete history of your symptoms, relevant medical background, and current medications — and conducts a structured clinical assessment by video, to the same standard as an in-person consultation.
Clear explanation in English
You leave your consultation knowing exactly what is happening, what to do next, and when to seek further care. No rushed appointment, no language barrier.
Clinical documentation — at the doctor's professional discretion
Your doctor issues appropriate clinical documentation following full assessment. This may include a private electronic prescription in accordance with Real Decreto 1718/2010, validated by the OMC and connected through Nodofarma to Spain's 22,000 pharmacies — where clinically indicated. You present your ID at any pharmacy of your choice anywhere in Spain.
A private prescription in Spain is valid for 10 days from the date of issue for the first dispensation. You pay the full retail price of the medication — drug prices in Spain are government-regulated and generally very affordable.
Antibiotics — assessment and treatment where clinically indicated
All antibiotics in Spain require a doctor's prescription by law. Your doctor assesses your symptoms and prescribes the appropriate treatment where the clinical evidence supports it — including for urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and skin infections — in accordance with antibiotic stewardship guidelines.
Medication continuation from another country
Ran out of medication you take regularly from your home country? Non-Spanish prescriptions are not reliably accepted at Spanish pharmacies. Your doctor reviews your current treatment and — where clinically appropriate — issues the equivalent Spanish clinical documentation. Bring your original packaging, the generic name of your medication, and any documentation you have.
Referral letters and medical documentation
When specialist referral, blood tests, imaging, or other clinical documentation is needed, your doctor issues this the same day.
How Medication Works in Spain
Spain operates one of the most advanced private electronic prescription systems in Europe. Our doctors issue private electronic prescriptions validated by the OMC, connected through Nodofarma to all Spanish pharmacies.
Private prescription — issued by our doctors following clinical assessment. You pay 100% of the medication cost at the pharmacy. Drug prices in Spain are government-regulated and generally low — a standard course of antibiotics typically costs between €5 and €15.
Public prescription (receta del SNS) — issued by doctors contracted with the public system. Eligible patients pay a reduced contribution based on income. Global Health doctors issue private clinical documentation — not public system prescriptions.
For foreign citizens, your passport is sufficient identification at Spanish pharmacies. No NIE, no SIP card, no Spanish health insurance required.
Non-EU prescriptions from your home country — including UK and US prescriptions — are generally not accepted directly at Spanish pharmacies. The fastest and most reliable way to continue medication you take at home is to consult one of our doctors.
Who This Service Is For
- Expats and international residents in Spain without a registered Spanish GP
- Tourists and short-stay visitors who need same-day medical advice
- Digital nomads working remotely from Spain
- EU citizens in Spain on EHIC who need private care faster than the public system allows
- Residents who have run out of medication from their home country
- International residents who prefer to consult in English rather than Spanish
- Anyone in Spain who needs to see a doctor today without travelling to a clinic
