# Changing Doctor???



## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Hi Guys

I don't know if anyone can help me with this. A friend of mine has a number of health problems and relies heavily on the doctor here. To be frank, from what I have heard his GP surgery is slightly ... ermmm.... useless (i think is an understatement). Problems are things like....


Loosing his SIP Card
Receptionist never being there (always out buying **** for the doctor (seriously)
Surgery up a HUGE hill that you cannot drive to (and he has severe breathing problems so its almost impossible to get to especially when he is ill (which is when you need the doctor most)

He has been told by the local health authority that he cannot choose his GP. This surgery is a one man band and everyone local moans about their inefficiencies, loosing things, etc etc. It really isnt suitable for someone with as many serious and life threatening conditions.

There is another state health centre (a proper one with a car park, lifts and more than one doctor) close by also. My question is this.... How the heck does he change? If they tell him he has to have the doctor they allocate, is there anything he can do. 

I know in the UK you can choose your surgery within the catchment area, is this the same here? It is rediculous to expect someone who cant breathe and often relies on mechanical ventilation to walk up such a huge hill (especially when they fail to write his repeat prescriptions 9 days on the trot and he has to keep returning).

I have been for him for things like prescriptions but I work all over the area now and he is really struggling.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Gracias!!!


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## Caz.I (Mar 21, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> Hi Guys
> 
> I don't know if anyone can help me with this. A friend of mine has a number of health problems and relies heavily on the doctor here. To be frank, from what I have heard his GP surgery is slightly ... ermmm.... useless (i think is an understatement). Problems are things like....
> 
> ...


To be honest I dont know about your area, but in Andalucia you have the right to change your doctor (havent done it myself, though am considering it).

Maybe he should just go up to the other surgery and try to register there anyway and if anyone queries it, just explain the reasons! 

But there will probably be someone on here soon from your area who can give you a more definitive answer.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

You should be able to change dr. without much trouble. My spanish neighbour fell out with our dr. over his treatment of her illness & changed to the main healthcentre. To do it you would need ,1 ) escritura, if you own your own house , or rental contract if you don't. 2) Nie, 3) Sip card , 4) probably another copy of the 'padron', less than 3 months old.
Normally you are assigned to the local 'consultorio' for the area where you live by a healthcentre that covers the out lying barrios. These healthcentres normally provide cover & doctors for quite a few consultorios. The overall area main office of the salud y sanidad designates which health centre you come under. That's how it works here. 
I would say that the healthcentre , close by , that you refer too is the main one & I would go there & explain the situation re. He's unable to get there & the reasons why, etc,etc,etc. You 'll probably have to be as forceful ( rude ) as the spaniards are to press the point & fluent in spanish . Another thing would be to ask for the complaint forms in the surgery & complain every time you have to go back for repeat prescriptions or any other problems.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I think you may be entitled to change doctor, depending on your area rules, but I'm not sure if you are supposed to be able to change health centre.
However, the steep hill factor seems to be a good point to argue... But there's no point in pressing your point and getting belligerent if your not entitled to it.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

gus-lopez said:


> You should be able to change dr. without much trouble. My spanish neighbour fell out with our dr. over his treatment of her illness & changed to the main healthcentre. To do it you would need ,1 ) escritura, if you own your own house , or rental contract if you don't. 2) Nie, 3) Sip card , 4) probably another copy of the 'padron', less than 3 months old.
> Normally you are assigned to the local 'consultorio' for the area where you live by a healthcentre that covers the out lying barrios. These healthcentres normally provide cover & doctors for quite a few consultorios. The overall area main office of the salud y sanidad designates which health centre you come under. That's how it works here.
> I would say that the healthcentre , close by , that you refer too is the main one & I would go there & explain the situation re. He's unable to get there & the reasons why, etc,etc,etc. You 'll probably have to be as forceful ( rude ) as the spaniards are to press the point & fluent in spanish . Another thing would be to ask for the complaint forms in the surgery & complain every time you have to go back for repeat prescriptions or any other problems.


Thanks, I would tend to agree that the health centre is the main one, the one he is with is a tiny village one man band job. The place where you go to register in the next town said he has to go to the one man band surgery, but I will tell him your advice - maybe turning up at the actual health centre would be a good idea!

Thanks!


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