Information I hope you won’t need!

Looking out of my window today, it is a lovely sunny day. Can it be that summer is finally on its way?

Are you planning to visit Portugal this summer? I am hoping to, and chatting to people who are planning to either visit or relocate to Portugal I am frequently asked about the medical system there and how Portugal compares to the NHS.

Comparisons, they say, are odious, but what I do recommend is that you look very carefully into the level of medical care when you are buying anywhere abroad, and this includes Portugal. Make a concerted effort to pick an area that will fulfil certain requirements and don’t fall hopelessly in love with a home BEFORE you have made sure that there are certain necessary requirements that the area can provide you with.

One of those requirements is adequate health and medical care. Don’t sign on the bottom line and later find that there isn’t a doctor or hospital within miles if one of your family has a heart condition for instance. If you have small children it’s also rather comforting to have medical help relatively close by. It is also very difficult to form a trusting relationship with your doctor if they don’t speak a word of English – check this out with the expat community perhaps.

The standard of health care and health care facilities in Portugal is generally considered good, but variable. What I mean by that is in rural areas you may find that they are not as good as in the UK. Nursing care and post-hospital assistance for instance are below our standards.
Portugal has a public health system, providing free or low cost health care for those who contribute to Portuguese social security (segurança social), their families and retirees from other EU countries. There are subsidised prescriptions for members aged over 65 and charges of from 40 to 100 per cent for non-essential medicines plus substantial contributions for many services including spectacles, dentures, dental and other treatments.

If you come from a EU country, and providing you have your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card), you are covered for emergency health treatment as a visitor to Portugal.

You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK – you have to present this to get free or rebated medical expenses as mentioned above. The EHIC is available free of charge through most UK post offices or apply online at www.ehic.org.uk You can also contact them on 0845 606 2030 and get them to send you one. Every family member (individual traveller) needs their own card - that includes children.

Remember, your EHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance. It won't cover you for repatriation or losses due to crime or natural disasters. Only comprehensive travel health insurance cover, which you'll have to take out privately, would cover you for that.

Only state-provided treatment is covered, and you'll receive treatment on the same terms as 'insured' residents of the country you're visiting. Private treatment isn't covered, and state-provided treatment may not cover all of the things that you'd expect to receive free of charge from the NHS.

If you don’t qualify for health care under the public health system, it’s essential to have private health insurance - in fact, you won’t get a residence card without it. This is often recomended in any case if you can afford it, due to long waiting lists for specialist appointments and non-urgent operations in many areas.

There are 24-hour emergency hospitals in major towns and private hospitals and clinics in major towns and resort areas (including small British hospitals in Lisbon and Porto).

I hope this helps – and that you won’t need to use the information! See you soon – have a great week.

Carol
http://www.portugalbuyingguide.com