spain

[skischool]

anybody out there living or travelling to spain frequently?i have a Finca in catalunya where i was due to retire with my bilingual wife who as i mentioned in a previous post sadly passed away recently due to her IPF.Just wondering how people have experieced their travel itinerys with airlines with or without oxygen and managed or not managed access supplies to oxygen and related support services.unfortunately i am not yet 65 so obviously unable to access their reciprocal nhs services(soon to be blighted by brexit i fear)also i am not near any expat communities being approx 40ks from tarragona inland.just interested to hear of peoples experiences.thank you

[stone-UK]

Hi

Some reading for you with relevant information.

gov.uk/guidance/healthcare-...

U.K. Oxygen and inflight oxygen will have to be arranged separately.

[skischool in reply to stone-UK]

thank you

[diesel12]

Under EU I didn't think you had to be 65. Some friends of ours in France (visiting their house) have used the reciprocal health care. I'd check that out.

[undine]

I was first diagnosed in Spain while staying with my Mum who lived there (sadly now passed away) and was so ill I was hospitalized for a month. The hospital was wonderful but the patients rely heavily for palliative care on their relatives which as my Mum was elderly and had no transport meant I had to rely on the Spanish relatives of other patients to aid me which on the whole they very kindly did but it is not the same as having your own relations or friends around you. Also of course I understood very little of what the doctors and nurses said and while some had some English many did not (and of course there was no reason why they should) so for important meetings with a doctor or consultant I had to pay for an interpreter which was not cheap and not as good as speaking to someone in your own language. I did get treated for free on my European Health card even though I was under 65 but God knows what is going to happen about that in the future. I too had planned to retire and live in Spain but being at stage 3 then and now stage 4 decided that I really needed to be back in my own culture and speaking my own language in order to best cope with and manage my condition - do not know if that helps but hope so - if you want any more info feel free to contacts me. Cheers and good luck.

[Dedalus]

diesel12 is right - you don't need to be 65 to access the reciprocal health care - good luck with your arrangements.

[skischool in reply to Dedalus]

I understand how the health card system works presently,although in essence it is supposed to be used by us for emergency and immediate care only and also different regions in Spain interpret its use in thier own unique way. Under the present system once you reach official retirement age you are then entitled to register with a doctor and recieve everyday and planned care under the reciprocal agreement.i was interested to hear peoples experiences of that sort of scenario as opposed to medical emergencys whilst on holiday or short term visits which generally speaking have been trouble free for most.