# In praise of the Centro salud



## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

Medical Center that is ............

Bank holiday today, but needed an issue attending to as I knew that it was staffed 24/7.
Popped in and was seen to at once, doctor took time to explain everything while the nurse attended to the issue.
Prescription popped out of the printer & off to the chemist to get the goods and the normal items that are needed each month (as they were due)
4 items in total = under 5eu

All done in well under an hour ! 

Now I know that this is not the case in other parts of Spain, but, it is a bloody tidy bit better than the NHS & 4 items at the chemist would be around £30.

Oh and not a seconds thought about parking the car either.


----------



## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Couldn't agree more...


----------



## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

My husband had a very strange medical issue last week. The original doctor diagnosed it as tendonitis. Last night we went to the hospital since he wasn't getting any better. The treatment he received was excellent and... I have my husband back instead of the grumbling zombie I had been living with for the last week! Thanks, local health service!


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

A year ago I ended up in hospital having suffered a mild heart attack. I cannot have enough praise for the Spanish health service. Two stents fitted in the bypass I had 15 years ago (they reckon they are only good for 12-15 years) and out again in three days.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

I can't fault the health service here

I can go online to make an appt & get one for the same day 

my older daughter has a couple of conditions for which she has regular medication - even though I pay 40% it's barely anything

she also has been getting recurring tonsilitis - she used to get it when she was little, but they wouldn't do anything in the UK, & she did, in fact, grow out of it

until about 6 months ago - after about 6 bouts in 3 months she was referred to the ENT at the hospital - the appt was within a week

the ENT prescribed some medication & a return appt was booked for 3 months later

in those 3 months she had had another 7 bouts - the doctor asked did we want them removed - gave us the consent forms & sent us out to the waiting area for a while to 'discuss' it - called us back in & handed us a pen - the operation will apparently be scheduled for the school holidays - dd is just praying that it's not during San Juan


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

elenetxu said:


> My husband had a very strange medical issue last week. The original doctor diagnosed it as tendonitis. Last night we went to the hospital since he wasn't getting any better. The treatment he received was excellent and... I have my husband back instead of the grumbling zombie I had been living with for the last week! Thanks, local health service!


So much depends on the doctor you get seen by:

A young doctor had moved out to a small community to replace a doctor who was retiring. The older gent suggested the young one accompany him on his rounds so the community could become used to the new doctor.

At the first house a woman complained, "I've been a little sick to my stomach." The older doctor said, "Well, you've probably been overdoing the fresh fruit. Why not cut back on the amount you've been eating and see if that does the trick?"

As they left the younger man said, "You didn't even examine that woman. How'd you come to your diagnosis so quickly?"

"I didn't have to. You noticed I dropped my stethoscope on the floor in there? When I bent over to pick it up, I noticed a half dozen banana peels in the trash. That was what was probably making her sick."

"Huh," the younger doctor said, "pretty sneaky. I think I'll try that at the next house."

Arriving at the next house, they spent several minutes talking with another woman. She complained that she just didn't have the energy she once did, "I'm feeling terribly run down lately."

You've probably been doing too much work for the church," the younger doctor told her. "Perhaps you should cut back a bit and see if that helps."

As they left, the elder doc said, "Your diagnosis is almost certainly correct, but how did you arrive at it?"

"Well, just like you at the last house, I dropped my stethoscope. When I bent down to retrieve it, I noticed the priest under the bed."


----------



## lidgey (Apr 28, 2013)

Ha haa...brilliant!!!...


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> So much depends on the doctor you get seen by:
> 
> A young doctor had moved out to a small community to replace a doctor who was retiring. The older gent suggested the young one accompany him on his rounds so the community could become used to the new doctor.
> 
> ...


:spit:


----------



## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

Not to be the dissenting voice here, but truthfully my experiences have not been so positive. For instance, a few weeks ago I needed to see my GP about a problem, and the first available appointment was a week later. He decided I needed to see a specialist (gastroenterologist) so he booked me for an appointment for 7 weeks later. That's a 8 week total wait to be seen, which actually I don't think is that bad - but it's nowhere near the one week wait to see a specialist that has been mentioned here. 

Similar experience two years ago to see a urologist - 3 month wait to get in. Then once there it was a 2 month wait to get lithotripsy done to blast kidney stones. So I lived with active kidney stones for 5 months. Yes, they got the job done but they sure took their time.

So sorry, I'm not singing praise for the efficiency of the Andalusian health service. 

And by the way, our 24 hour urgent care clinic at the health center doesn't issue precriptions. They have basic medications there and they hand you just enough to get you through until the next work day when you're expected to see your GP for a prescription. Which is fine - no complaint - but I just wanted to clarify that it's not the same all over Spain.


----------



## rangitoto (Apr 25, 2011)

I have posted on here before about the service my partener has received from the medico a couple of weeks ago went to the pharmacy for something you could buy over the counter in the uk but was told to go to the medico she saw the doctor urine sample in and out with prescription in 30 mins for 2 items 2.47e over the counter in the uk about 7 quid cant praise them enough


----------



## GUAPACHICA (Jun 30, 2012)

Hi - it's great to hear so many really positive examples re. the Spanish Public Healthcare system, although I'd endorse the view that, as has been stated here, already, the service and treatment you receive is, as in the UK, dependent on the personnel concerned, every bit as much as the system, itself! 

I am surprised, however, that no-one amongst the contributors, here, has, so far, made reference to this month's protests in Madrid and other Spanish cities, by the '_White Tide_' (Doctors, nurses and other Public Healthcare staff), against the latest round of Govt. cuts to their service! Here's one link:

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/04/21/299528/spaniards-protest-health-privatization/

There's no way that these draconian measures are not going to affect, extremely adversely, the service, the staff and morale - as well as the cost of medication, waiting lists and medical resources - how could they not..? I believe we'd all be burying our heads in the sand, if we failed to acknowledge this fact! 

My own concern is for all of the above as well as patients, including ourselves, as expats. - and the young professionals who've trained for years, on student grants and then low salaries, to achieve their dream of working in this crucial Public service, for the benefit of Spanish people -and foreign residents, alike. Two of those young Doctors are close friends of mine - neither now has a job, despite becoming specialists with PhD's, after some 12 years' training, in total! 

Both will probably need to leave their country, to have the opportunity to work within their respective felds. They'd each hoped to 'give back' to Spain their hard work in return for all of the training they've received. Sadly, with slashed Healthcare budgets, there's absolutely no opportunity for either of them to honour that commitment, now - so, value your Spanish Healthcare professionals, their 'Centros de Salud' and hospitals - because they're all under enormous pressure, which will only increase!

Saludos,
GC


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

New appointments now are on a longer waiting list. They were available for today, tomorrow or the next day, now they are sometimes a week or two away. SWMBO's blood test is on the 7th and she booked it on 22nd April, previously, she would have had her blood test by the 24th or 25th at the latest.


----------



## GUAPACHICA (Jun 30, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> New appointments now are on a longer waiting list. They were available for today, tomorrow or the next day, now they are sometimes a week or two away. SWMBO's blood test is on the 7th and she booked it on 22nd April, previously, she would have had her blood test by the 24th or 25th at the latest.


Hi - and so it begins…! I hope the level of delay, in your family's case, does not increase further, as the cuts deepen. Best wishes to your wife - hope all goes well for her.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=l...MIbAPKLKgNgI&ved=0CFAQsAQ4Cg&biw=1439&bih=700

Here are a selection of '_Google_' images of recent '*White Tide*' protests held in Spanish cities. What an inditement of the current economic measures being undertaken, in Spain - how much training and dedication has it taken to produce the country's hIghly skilled and incredibly professional Doctors, Nurses, Consultants and ancilliary staff? 

Now look - here they are, out on the streets of their cities, in defence of their Public Healthcare system against their Govt.'s commitment to yet more savage cuts and creeping privatisation! A tragic situation for such a great country!


Saludos,
GC


----------



## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> New appointments now are on a longer waiting list. They were available for today, tomorrow or the next day, now they are sometimes a week or two away. SWMBO's blood test is on the 7th and she booked it on 22nd April, previously, she would have had her blood test by the 24th or 25th at the latest.


This is how it's been at our health center for several years now. I don't want to think that it might get worse.


----------

