Once you have confirmation that you are entitled to healthcare in Tenerife your next step will be to register with your local GP.
To do this you will have to prove that you are a resident in the area by providing an ‘Empadronamiento Certificate’, your Foreigners Registration Certificate/Card and proof of ID – Passport. You will also have to show your Spanish National Insurance number so they can find you in their system.
If you are working there will be a note of this number on your works contract or autonomo slip if you are self-employed. For pensioners who have processed the S1 document at the INSS in Granadilla you will be issued with a form, which proves your entitlement to healthcare and will have a note of your insurance number on.
You will be assigned a doctor and issued with a photocopy of your health card. The original plastic health card will eventually be sent through the post. You should keep this photocopied card with you at all times, as it’s essential for appointments and purchasing your prescription medication at the pharmacy.
Making Appointments
To make an appointment you can call into the health centre in person and book in with the receptionist at the desk, call 012 if you are a Spanish speaker or alternatively you can click on the following link and book an appointment on line
http://www3.gobiernodecanarias.org/sanidad/scs/gc/18/cita_previa/
Make sure you have your health card to hand as you will be prompted to type in your CIP number, which is found on your card or photocopy of the card. It’s very straightforward to use and you can also check or cancel existing appointments.
Unless you have an emergency, your first point of call is always your own GP. If you ever need an appointment with a Specialist you will need a referral from your GP. The only ambulatory in the South is a centre called the ‘Mojon’; this offers all the usual ambulatory care services, including emergency visits, blood tests, x-rays, physiotherapy and specialist consultations.
For more serious cases you will be referred to the Public Hospital Our Lady of Candelaria, situated in Ofra, near to Santa Cruz. The South Public Hospital is still under construction and probably will be for some time.
There are signs in all the medical centres advising you to bring an interpreter with you, however, you will find that some Doctors are willing to speak English whereas others prefer you to bring an interpreter with you. Most administration staff do not speak English. You will be asked to open a medical history file on your visit to the Doctors.
This is done with the nurse that works alongside your GP. It’s a good idea to bring any previous doctors notes and prescriptions from the UK, especially if you have an on-going illness or take regular medication.
Get more advice on how to register with a doctor from Lindsay Schewalie.