Regular health care
Within the public system, standard and free health care is available first through the general practitioner who treats the patient or if necessary refers the patient to a specialist.
To have access to primary health care the Individual Health Card (TIS) is required or to have been granted approval for the request for health assistance. In the Basque Country, this assistance is offered by the Basque Health Service-Osakidetza, which has a network of public health centres.
There are also a number of private centres which are not generally free.
General health care timetables
Barakaldo has six health centres, where you can ask about the surgery hours of your allocated GP or specialist.
The health centres also cover emergency cases between eight o’clock in the morning and five o’clock in the afternoon. Otherwise, urgent medical assistance is available.
Medical appointments may be accessed on-line.
Medicines
Medicines may be purchased at the chemist’s. Many of these require a medical prescription.
There are various discounts available on prescriptions issued in the public system depending on each person's particular situation (employed, pensioners, those receiving the Income Guarantee Grant…)
Medicines dispensed by private clinics are not entitled to any discount, and the full price must be paid.
Since the introduction of electronic prescriptions, a Medical Card must be presented at the chemist in order to receive the medication prescribed.
There are a number of night chemists open outside the normal schedule.