# Healthcare in Penela



## tal1 (Jun 18, 2015)

Hi,

I've just moved to Penela from the UK and already have residency, has anyone got any experience of registering for healthcare there, is it a fairly straightforward process ?

Thanks for any advice


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

It seems to vary from area to area and medical practice to medical practice so probably the best thing to do is visit your local GPs surgery and ask their advice. 

For what it's worth, my wife & I are both UK passport holders, both in our late 50s, both in receipt of private pensions but not state pensions yet and we had no trouble registering with our local surgery in Figueiro Dos Vinhos. 

All we had to do was go to the local social security office, get issued with SS numbers (which took a few weeks) and then go back to the docs to register. - And since then, we've both had more or less free healthcare here.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

I should have added that from what I've heard from several people the Penela bureaucratic bods seem to be particularly obstructive when it comes to ex pats. 

A Brit friend of mine even had considerable difficulty in getting his first residencia because the guy issuing it kept insisting he wanted proof of financial security and even wanted someone to inspect the guy's house.


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## Maggy Crawford (Sep 18, 2010)

Hello TM. I am surprised what you say about Penela. My sister and husband registered very easily and are impressed with the services on hand there. Bob is diabetic and received far superior care there than in the UK. I wonder if the poster is retired which would make it much easier.


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Hi Maggy

I know several UK nationals who have had hassle getting their residencias issued from there (let alone getting NHS registration) but as you say, being in receipt of a pension, especially a state pension might well make a big difference. 

It could of course just be one or two individuals who make it hard either because they simply don't know the rules or just because they don't personally approve of immigrants.


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## Maggy Crawford (Sep 18, 2010)

I know what you mean. Portuguese civil servants (that's an oxymoron if there there was one) are master of obfuscation and misinterpretation. My sister had no problems at all with the Penela Camara for residencias and planning for a swimming pool or at the health centre. Individuals do seem to take it upon themselves to lay down the law, sometime incorrectly.


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## tal1 (Jun 18, 2015)

Thank you both for the replies, I'm an early retiree in my 50s on a private pension, I think I'll just have to give it a shot and see how it goes .


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## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

tal1 said:


> Thank you both for the replies, I'm an early retiree in my 50s on a private pension, I think I'll just have to give it a shot and see how it goes .


I reckon you'll stand a better chance of getting registered with a pension of some kind than without a pension.


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