Frances Leate
A CAMPAIGN to educate British citizens in Spain about how to use their UK-issued European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs) has been launched.
The EHIC Campaign aims to raise awareness among the estimated 300,000 British citizens living in the Valencia region as well as healthcare staff.
The 15 month campaign, funded by the European Union, is being run by the UK Department of Health alongside health chiefs in Valencia.
Launching the campaign in Alicante, David Pennington, head of the Department of Health’s international healthcare team, said: “Many British citizens living in Spain are confused about how to access state healthcare and many use their EHIC cards when they should be accessing healthcare in another way.
“This campaign explains who can use a UK-issued EHIC and what it’s for.
“It also tells people about other ways to access state healthcare in Spain, depending on their circumstances.”
The UK European Health Insurance Card should only be used to access essential treatment during the course of a temporary stay in Spain.
It does not provide access to all state treatment but for those in Spain on a temporary stay, it is the correct way to access state healthcare.
However British citizens who live mainly in Spain should change the way they are registered, because for them the UK European Health Insurance Card is not the correct form of health cover.
For more information on the use of EHICs visit: www.healthcareinspain.eu.
For a full list of the 18 public talks taking place as part of the campaign, visit: www.healthcareinspain.eu.
As a resident pensioner registered for health care in Spain, do I need the EHIC or something to receive health care when visiting the UK or other EU countries?
i live in Spain – a pensioner and understand I need a Spanish EHIC for my trips to UK. The application data is in Spanish. Seems a bit silly to me??
ursula,
I’m not sure you need a Spanish EHIC but what is silly in a Spanish application form in Spanish? would a UK application form not be written in English/ – think about it.