Getting emergency care (urgencias)

It is for anyone thinking about moving to Spain, planning the move or already living there. You do not need fluent Spanish. You will know where to go, what to expect when you arrive and what to do afterwards.

Start with "Emergency room (urgencias) or health centre (centro de salud)?". It helps you match symptoms and time of day to the right entry point, and recognise a true emergency. From there, the topic covers the emergency visit step by step, ambulances, children at urgencias, hospital stays, follow-up paperwork, getting by without fluent Spanish, and emergencies in remote areas or outdoors.

Who pays for emergency care, calling 112, out-of-hours pharmacies and pregnancy emergencies are covered in other topics.

Key rules

• Ambulance destination: When a public ambulance takes you, the emergency coordination centre chooses the hospital based on how serious the problem is and which specialty you need, not you.
• Urgencias access: Hospital urgencias are open 24 hours a day with no appointment and no GP referral needed, but minor problems wait behind more urgent cases after triage.
• Records reply time: A hospital or clinic must answer a request for your medical records within one month, and the first copy is free.
• True emergency: Call 112 or go straight to urgencias; never wait for an appointment.
• Access: You need no appointment or referral, and urgent care is guaranteed to everyone regardless of legal status.
• Triage: You are seen by priority level, not by arrival order.

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• Photo ID — What happens at a Spanish emergency room (urgencias), step by step
• Your ID or passport — What happens after the emergency room (urgencias) admits you

Guarantees

• Your private insurance details — What happens after the emergency room (urgencias) admits you

Other documents

• Tarjeta sanitaria — What happens at a Spanish emergency room (urgencias), step by step, What happens after the emergency room (urgencias) admits you
• Your health card — What happens at a Spanish emergency room (urgencias), step by step, Follow-up care and your discharge report (informe de alta)
• A list of your current medication and allergies — What happens at a Spanish emergency room (urgencias), step by step
• Recent medical reports or test results related to the problem — What happens at a Spanish emergency room (urgencias), step by step
• A copy of your full clinical history — Follow-up care and your discharge report (informe de alta)

Getting emergency care (urgencias): questions that cross several articles

Do I need a referral or appointment to go to hospital urgencias?

No, you need neither a referral nor an appointment, because hospital urgencias are open 24 hours a day. Minor problems are still seen, but they wait behind more urgent cases after triage. To decide where to go for your symptoms, read "Emergency room (urgencias) or health centre (centro de salud)?", then "What happens at a Spanish emergency room (urgencias), step by step".

Who decides which hospital an ambulance takes me to?

The emergency coordination centre decides, not you, based on how serious the problem is and which specialty you need. Calls to 112 reach the regional centre, where a doctor assesses the call and sends the right crew. Read "Calling and riding in an ambulance (ambulancia) in Spain" for who sends it and what to expect.

What do I do if the centro de salud is closed and the problem cannot wait?

Go to the out-of-hours primary care point (called PAC or SUAP) or to hospital urgencias. If the problem is a true emergency such as chest pain or signs of a stroke, call 112 instead, which is free and works in several languages. "Emergency room (urgencias) or health centre (centro de salud)?" helps you choose, and "Emergencies on the islands or in a remote village" covers places far from a hospital.

Can I get a written report after my emergency visit?

Yes, you have the right to a written report of your emergency care, and to a discharge report (informe de alta) after a hospital stay. The doctor responsible issues it, and it can be given to you or to a person you authorise. Read "Follow-up care and your discharge report (informe de alta)" for next steps, and "Request your medical records (historia clínica) in Spanish" if you want your full file.

Do I have to sign what the doctors give me if I do not understand Spanish?

No, doctors must explain things in terms you can understand, and consent is usually verbal. Written consent is needed for surgery and procedures with notable risks, and you can refuse treatment or withdraw consent at any time. Read "Getting through an emergency visit without fluent Spanish" to prepare for this.