In an emergency anywhere in Spain, call 112 - it is free and English-speaking operators are usually available. For everyday problems, start at a pharmacy. For a prescription, or to continue medication you already take, see a private or online English-speaking doctor. Your GHIC or EHIC covers state care only, not private clinics or a flight home, so keep travel insurance too.
Not sure where to go?
Pick what is happening and we will point you the right way.
Start at the pharmacy
For minor illness, bites, upset stomachs and advice. Pharmacists handle a lot at the counter, and it is free to ask.
See a doctor
For a prescription, or to continue medication you already take, an online English-speaking doctor is the simplest route. The Holiday Doctor can help where it is safe and clinically appropriate.
Call 112
For chest pain, breathing difficulty, severe bleeding, a bad allergic reaction or any life-threatening sign. Do not wait.
What's different about getting ill in Spain?
Spain has excellent, accessible healthcare, but a few things work differently from home and catch visitors out. Knowing them in advance makes everything calmer.
Run by the regions
Health is devolved to Spain's 17 autonomous communities, each with its own service (for example SERMAS in Madrid, CatSalut in Catalonia, the Servicio Andaluz de Salud in Andalucía). Entitlements and paperwork vary by region, so it is always worth checking locally.
Pharmacy-first culture
The farmacia is the natural first stop. Pharmacists are highly trained, and several things that need a prescription in the UK are sold over the counter here. It is free to ask, and it often solves the problem on the spot.
The fine myth
Widely shared 2025 stories claimed tourists face a €6,900 fine for having no travel insurance. This was debunked: there is no such legal requirement for visa-free visitors and no fine. Insurance is still strongly advised, because the health card does not cover everything.
Entry changes 2025-26
The EU's Entry/Exit System (biometric border checks for non-EU visitors, including UK nationals) became fully operational in April 2026, and ETIAS travel authorisation is expected in late 2026. Expect biometric checks and possible queues at the airport.
Where do I go in an emergency?
Call 112 for anything urgent or life-threatening. It is free, works from any phone anywhere in Spain, and operators usually speak English. For serious problems they will send help or direct you to the nearest A&E (urgencias).
Every region runs its own hospitals and health service, so the nearest public hospital depends on where you are. For non-urgent problems, a public health centre (centro de salud) is hard to book as a visitor without a regional health card, which is why most visitors use a pharmacy or private care instead.
How do I see an English-speaking doctor in Spain?
For a visitor who is not in the Spanish system, booking a routine public appointment is difficult, so most people use a pharmacy first and then private or online care if they need a prescription. English-speaking private doctors and telemedicine services are widely available.
- A private GP or specialist consultation typically costs around €45 to €150.
- An online consultation with an English-speaking doctor is usually the quickest option, from about €30.
If you simply need to continue a medication you already take, an English-speaking online doctor can review a continuation supply where it is safe and clinically appropriate. The Holiday Doctor is built for exactly that.
What about the pharmacy (farmacia)?
Spanish pharmacies are excellent and everywhere, marked by a green cross. Pharmacists are highly trained and handle minor problems directly. There is always one open: look for the farmacia de guardia, the duty pharmacy that covers nights and weekends on a local rota.
No prescription needed
Paracetamol, rehydration salts, antihistamines, bite and sting creams, and the morning-after pill.
Spanish prescription required
Antibiotics, codeine-based painkillers, asthma reliever inhalers and stronger anti-inflammatories such as 600mg ibuprofen. A UK or other foreign paper prescription cannot be dispensed here.
Does my GHIC or EHIC work in Spain?
Yes, for state care. A valid UK GHIC (or EHIC) gives you medically necessary state treatment on the same terms as a Spanish resident. It covers state care only, never private clinics or a flight home, so keep travel insurance as well. Tap a card below to focus it.
UK GHIC
Covers
- State care, same terms as a local
- Emergencies and care that can't wait
- Flare-ups of ongoing conditions
Does not cover
- Private clinics or hospitals
- A flight home (repatriation)
EU EHIC
Covers
- State care for EU/EEA visitors
- Emergencies and necessary care
- Ongoing conditions and maternity
Does not cover
- Private treatment
- Repatriation home
Travel insurance
Covers
- Private care and clinics
- Repatriation home
- Cancellations and extras
Check the policy
- That it covers any pre-existing conditions
I've run out of my medication, what now?
Spain uses an electronic prescription system (the receta electrónica), but it works through a Spanish prescriber, so your home prescription cannot simply be carried over at a pharmacy. If you have run out of something you take regularly, the quickest route is an online English-speaking doctor who can issue a continuation supply where it is safe and clinically appropriate.
The Holiday Doctor is set up for travellers and residents in this position. A prescription is never automatic: a doctor reviews each request, and some medicines or situations need to be seen in person.
What an online doctor cannot help with
Some situations need a person in the room, and it is important to be honest about them.
An online clinical review is not for emergencies; for anything urgent or life-threatening you call 112, not a website. It is not for under-18s, and it is not the route to start a brand-new, high-risk medicine for the first time, which needs proper in-person assessment. It cannot help anyone who is not physically in Spain. And a prescription is never automatic: a doctor reviews each request, and where a medicine or a situation needs face-to-face care, the honest answer is to say so and point you to it. None of this is small print. It is the difference between a service that is safe and one that is not.
Common questions
Is my GHIC valid in Spain?
Yes. A valid UK GHIC (or a still-valid EHIC) gives you medically necessary state healthcare in Spain on the same terms as a Spanish resident. It does not cover private clinics or repatriation, so travel insurance is still needed.
Do I need travel insurance to visit Spain, and is there a fine?
There is no legal requirement for visa-free tourists to hold travel insurance, and the widely shared story about a €6,900 fine was debunked in 2025. Comprehensive travel insurance is still strongly advised, because the health card does not cover private care or a flight home.
What is the emergency number in Spain?
Call 112 from any phone, free, anywhere in Spain, for any emergency. Operators usually speak English. Public A&E is signposted as urgencias.
Can I buy antibiotics over the counter in Spain?
No. Antibiotics need a Spanish prescription. Pharmacies can advise on minor problems and sell many other medicines over the counter, including paracetamol and the morning-after pill, but antibiotics, codeine-based painkillers and asthma inhalers are prescription-only.
Can I see an English-speaking doctor in Spain?
Yes. English-speaking private doctors and telemedicine services are widely available across Spain, and an online English-speaking doctor can help for non-urgent problems and prescriptions, often the same day.
What if I run out of my medication in Spain?
Start at a pharmacy for advice. For a continuation of medication you already take, an online clinical review with a Spanish-registered English-speaking doctor can arrange a supply where it is safe and clinically appropriate. A prescription is not guaranteed.
Does my GHIC work the same everywhere in Spain?
Your card is valid for state care across Spain, but health is run by the 17 regions, each with its own service, so entitlements, waiting times and even which medicines are funded can vary from place to place. Always check the local rules wherever you are staying.
Will a public ambulance take me to a private hospital in Spain?
No. A public 112 ambulance takes you to the nearest public hospital, where a GHIC or EHIC is accepted. If you want a private hospital covered by your travel or private insurance, you call that insurer’s own assistance line and they arrange a private ambulance.
Check it yourself
Rules and entitlements change, so the official source is the final word.
