HOSPITALS NEAR TO MONTEMAR

The quality of health care and hospital facilities in Andalucia (and throughout Spain) is generally of a high 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.

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 and 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.

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.

There is now also a new Centro de Alta Resolución de Especialidades (CARE), which is aimed at offering a clear diagnosis, efficiently with the least delay possible and in just one visit. This pioneering initiative on behalf of the Andalucian Public Health Authorities is becoming a blue print for the rest of Spain. The centre is situated in Muelle de Heredia and has a special 24 hour emergency.