What to do, where to go in an emergency?

How to improve effective chances of help in an emergency - what we need to have.

To report an assault, robbery or accident to the Police 902 102 112

For road accident, weather and traffic congestion information 900 123 505

General enquiries to the British Embassy
91 700 82 00,
91 319 02 00
British Consular Emergency Service 915 249 700

Sanitary emergency 061 959 494 009

 

Emergency services:

Ayamonte – 959 470 880
Almonte – 959 451 131
Huelva – 959 254 765

El Rocio – 959 442 551

Cartaya – 959 392 681
Gibraleon – 959 301 844
Isla Christina – 959 343 353
Lepe – 959 381 132


Fire Service
080 959 210 208

National Police
091 959 541 950

Local Police
092 959 210 221

Guardia Civil
959 241 900

HOSPITALS ON THE COSTA DE LA LUZ

The quality of health care and hospital facilities in Andalucia (and throughout Spain) is generally of a the highest standard. Progress is always being made and in January 2005, it was announced that there was a 35% improvement in hospital service in Andalucia. There are excellent doctors and highly trained Spanish medical staff. Major hospitals are equipped with the latest high-tech equipment and Andalucia has many excellent public and private hospitals in each of the eight provinces: Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga and Seville.
The large hospitals in the main cities are generally better equipped than the provincial ones and some specialise in particular areas of health and treatment than others.
Although in some hospitals in Andalucia (especially the Costa del Sol Hospital) some doctors may speak some English and there may even be help in the form of a voluntary interpreter, you should not depend on finding an English speaker if you have a hospital visit. If you do not speak Spanish, it is best to take someone along with you who can translate, in case you cannot explain your problem or do not understand the treatment.  In occasional cases, you may be refused, or have treatment delayed, if the staff cannot communicate with you.

If you are in the Costa del Sol area, there is a well established health insurance company called Helicopteros Sanitarios (Tel: 952 816 767) which has a 24 hour hospital transfer Service included in an ambulance and call out doctor service. As the name of the company suggests, in the case of extreme emergency and difficult access, helicopter transfer may be used. They have quite reasonable annual quotas for families and individuals. The area they cover is from Sotogrande to Torremolinos.

If you live in the EU and are visiting Spain / Andalucia (or indeed any other EU country), then you should bring the E-111 form with you. If you have the new EU health card, then you will not need to apply for the E111, since the new card contains your Social Security details. Due to the reciprocal agreement between the EU countries, this covers you under the State health system for three months. After this time, if you are still in Andalucia and are not working and registered with the Social Security, then you must get cover from a private health plan. In any case, you will need to prove that you have your own health insurance to apply for a Residence Permit, if you are planning to live in Spain if you are applying for your N.I.E. or Residency card.