Continuing therapy or psychiatric treatment after you move

Terms used

• Principio activo — The principio activo is a medicine's active ingredient, the name to match across countries instead of the brand.
• Traductor jurado — A traductor jurado is a sworn translator whose translation is accepted by Spanish authorities.
• CIMA — CIMA is the Spanish medicines agency's online database of authorised medicines, searchable by brand or active ingredient.
• AEMPS — AEMPS is Spain's medicines agency, which regulates medicines and controlled-drug authorisations.
• EFG — EFG marks a generic medicine in Spain, with the same active ingredient as the brand.

Key rules

• Prescriptions: Non-EU prescriptions are generally not valid in Spain, and narcotic or psychotropic prescriptions normally need a Spanish one.
• Reassessment: Expect a Spanish doctor to reassess you before prescribing, especially for stimulants, benzodiazepines or an adult ADHD diagnosis.
• Medicine names: Match medicines by active ingredient, not brand, and have a Spanish doctor or pharmacist confirm the equivalent.
• Translation: An English summary is usually enough for a consultation; sworn translation is only for reports sent to an authority.
• Travelling: Carry medicine in original packaging with a prescription copy or doctor's letter, and a Schengen certificate for narcotics or psychotropics.

The short version

Your foreign diagnosis and prescriptions do not transfer on their own. Spanish doctors will read your records, but they usually assess you again before prescribing. Start before you leave, and line up a Spanish prescriber before your last supply runs out.

Get your records before you go

Ask your current clinic, hospital or GP for a copy of your records. Name the dates and the type of record you want. Asking before you leave is easier, because you can sign in person and patient portals still work. After you move, you can still send the request by email or post with ID.

Ask for:

• a clinical summary or discharge letter with diagnoses
• your medication list with doses
• test results and any therapy or psychiatric reports
• digital copies, and a signed letter on headed paper

In the UK and the EU, a records request is normally answered free within one month. In the US, the provider may charge a reasonable copying fee. Deadlines and fees depend on the country and the provider.

Ask the letter writer to list each medicine by its active ingredient (principio activo), with the dose and how long you have taken it. A Spanish doctor can also ask your old provider to send the records directly.

Translation

An English summary is usually fine for a normal consultation. Many private doctors and doctors in expat areas read English. Public-system staff may prefer Spanish, and a translation you make yourself often does the job.

You only need a sworn translation (traductor jurado) when the report goes to an authority. Examples are disability recognition, insurance claims, legal or immigration procedures, or a court. The body asking for the report decides whether it needs one, and sometimes an apostille too.

Find a Spanish prescriber

Expect to be reassessed. This is most likely for controlled drugs such as stimulants or benzodiazepines. Adult ADHD diagnoses made abroad are often reassessed too.

In the public system, a GP often cannot prescribe some drugs without a psychiatrist's assessment. The wait for that can interrupt your treatment. Private psychiatrists generally move faster. Practice varies by doctor and region.

The short history summary below can help a new clinician get up to speed quickly.

Foreign prescriptions in Spain

• From another EU/EEA country: a Spanish pharmacy can dispense it if it comes from an authorised prescriber, has the required details and the medicine is sold in Spain. The pharmacist can still refuse, and you pay the full price.
• From outside the EU: it is generally not valid. A Spanish doctor must write a new one.
• Narcotics and psychotropics: foreign prescriptions are normally not accepted. You need a Spanish prescription.

For ongoing treatment, plan to get a Spanish prescription whatever your country.

Match your medicine to a Spanish one

Brand names often differ, so match by active ingredient. Read it on your current packaging. Search it in CIMA, the Spanish medicines agency's online database. CIMA shows the leaflet, forms, generic equivalents (EFG) and whether you need a prescription. Compare strength and form. A Spanish doctor or pharmacist should confirm the equivalent before you switch.

Carrying medication when you travel

Carry personal medication in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription or a doctor's letter. Generally, bring up to 3 months' supply. Keep the quantity reasonable for personal use.

If your medicine contains a narcotic or psychotropic substance, the rules are stricter:

• Coming from the Schengen area: you need a Schengen certificate from your national health authority. It is valid up to 30 days. For longer stays, carry a doctor's report as well.
• Coming from outside Schengen: carry a doctor's letter and prescription. Amounts above the allowed limits, or treatment beyond 30 days, may need authorisation from the Spanish medicines agency (AEMPS).

Rules vary by substance, so check with AEMPS or the Spanish embassy before you travel.

Do it in this order

1. Request records and the letter while you are still at home.
2. Book a Spanish prescriber, ideally before you arrive.
3. Take enough medication and the right paperwork for the journey.
4. Get a Spanish prescription before your supply ends.

The timeline, documents list and checklist below carry the details.

Timeline and deadlines

• Request your records from your current provider, naming dates and type of record: before you leave, while you can sign in person

• Expect a reply to a UK or EU records request: normally within 1 month, free of charge

• Get a Schengen certificate if your medicine is a narcotic or psychotropic: before you travel; it is valid for up to 30 days

• Carry personal medication in original packaging with a prescription copy or doctor's letter: for the trip, generally up to 3 months' supply

• Send the records request by email or post with ID: after you move, if you did not request them before leaving

Documents you need

• Copy of your treatment records from your previous hospital, clinic or GP, including a clinical summary or discharge letter, diagnoses, medication list with doses, test results and any therapy or psychiatric reports. Ask for a signed letter on headed paper.

• Doctor's letter or copy of your prescription, kept with your medicine in its original packaging when you travel.

• Schengen certificate from your national health authority, if your medicine contains a narcotic or psychotropic substance and you travel within the Schengen area. It is valid for up to 30 days, so for longer stays carry a doctor's report as well.

• Sworn translation (traductor jurado) of your medical report, only if it goes to an authority, such as for disability recognition, insurance claims, a visa or residence application. It may also need an apostille, depending on who asks.

Bring your mental health treatment to Spain checklist

Bring your mental health treatment to Spain

• Ask your current clinic, hospital or GP for a copy of your records, naming the dates and the type of record you need.

• Request a clinical summary or discharge letter with your diagnoses, medication list with doses, test results and any therapy or psychiatric reports.

• Ask for digital copies and a signed letter on headed paper, and make the request before you leave, while you can sign in person and use patient portals.

• Keep an English copy of the summary. Spanish doctors usually read English, but public-system staff may prefer Spanish, so a simple self-made translation is enough for a consultation.

• Get a sworn translation (traductor jurado) only if the report goes to an authority, such as for disability recognition, insurance claims or a residence application.

• If your medicine contains a narcotic or psychotropic substance, ask your national health authority for a Schengen certificate (valid up to 30 days) if you travel from the Schengen area, or carry a doctor's letter and prescription if you come from elsewhere.

• Check with the Spanish medicines agency (AEMPS) before travelling if you need controlled medication for more than 30 days.

• Look up your active ingredient in CIMA, the Spanish medicines database, and compare strength and form, then ask a Spanish doctor or pharmacist to confirm the equivalent.

• Book an appointment with a Spanish prescriber early, because a foreign prescription is not enough for continuing treatment: non-EU prescriptions are generally not valid, and controlled drugs need a Spanish prescription.

• Take your records and summary to the first visit, as Spanish doctors usually reassess you before prescribing, especially for stimulants, benzodiazepines or an adult ADHD diagnosis.

• Consider a private psychiatrist if you cannot wait, as the public system can have waits that interrupt treatment.

A short summary of your mental health history for a new clinician

A public GP appointment is short, often 5 to 10 minutes. A one-page summary in Spanish and English lets the clinician see your history at a glance, so the time goes on what you need now. Fill in the blanks, delete what does not apply, and print it or keep it on your phone. Attach the full clinical report (informe clínico) from your previous clinician if you have one. The clinic may also ask you to fill in its own forms.

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Mental health history summary / Resumen de historial de salud mental

Date written / Fecha: ________ Written by / Redactado por: ________

1. About me / Datos personales

• Name / Nombre completo: ________
• Date of birth / Fecha de nacimiento: ________
• Nationality / Nacionalidad: ________
• Phone and email / Teléfono y correo: ________
• Health card or insurer number / Número de tarjeta sanitaria o aseguradora: ________
• Language I speak / Idioma que hablo: ________. I need an interpreter / Necesito intérprete: yes-sí / no

2. Diagnoses / Diagnósticos

• Diagnosis, year, and who diagnosed me (clinician, clinic, country) / Diagnóstico, año y quién lo hizo (profesional, centro, país): ________

3. Current medication / Medicación actual

• Name (generic and brand), dose, how often, start date / Nombre (genérico y comercial), dosis, frecuencia, fecha de inicio: ________
• How it works for me and side effects / Cómo me funciona y efectos secundarios: ________
• Past medication and why I stopped / Medicación anterior y motivo por el que la dejé: ________

4. Treatment so far / Tratamiento hasta ahora

• Therapy type and length / Tipo y duración de la terapia: ________
• Hospital stays (voluntary or involuntary), day programmes, other treatment / Ingresos (voluntarios o involuntarios), hospital de día, otros tratamientos: ________

5. My history / Mi historia

• When symptoms started and how they have changed / Cuándo empezaron los síntomas y cómo han evolucionado: ________
• Major episodes (year and short description) / Episodios importantes (año y breve descripción): ________
• Alcohol, drugs, tobacco / Alcohol, drogas, tabaco: ________
• Mental health conditions in my family / Antecedentes psiquiátricos en mi familia: ________

6. Allergies and other health conditions / Alergias y otras enfermedades

• Allergies and drug intolerances / Alergias e intolerancias a medicamentos: ________
• Other conditions that affect prescribing / Otras enfermedades que afectan a la medicación: ________

7. Previous clinicians / Profesionales anteriores

• Name, clinic, country, dates, contact / Nombre, centro, país, fechas, contacto: ________
• Records can be requested / Se puede pedir mi historial: yes-sí / no
• Who prescribes my medication now / Quién me receta ahora: ________

8. Safety / Seguridad

• Suicidal thoughts, attempts, self-harm, violence: past and present, and date of the last episode / Pensamientos suicidas, intentos, autolesiones, violencia: pasado y presente, y fecha del último episodio: ________
• What helps keep me safe, and my crisis plan / Qué me ayuda a estar a salvo y mi plan de crisis: ________
• Emergency contact / Contacto de emergencia: ________

9. Daily life / Vida diaria

• Work or study / Trabajo o estudios: ________
• Where and with whom I live / Dónde y con quién vivo: ________
• Support I have / Apoyo con el que cuento: ________
• Legal status, if relevant / Situación legal, si es relevante: ________

10. What I need from this appointment / Qué necesito de esta cita

• ________ (for example: continue my medication, a referral to the mental health unit or a psychologist, a longer follow-up appointment / por ejemplo: continuar mi medicación, derivación a salud mental o a un psicólogo, una cita de seguimiento más larga)

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Say at the start of the appointment that it is about your mental health, and hand over the page then. If your medication may have a different name in Spain, add a list of what you have taken, with generic names.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Spanish pharmacy fill my prescription from home?

Yes, if it comes from an EU or EEA country, but the pharmacist can refuse and you pay the full price. The prescriber must be authorised and the medicine must be sold in Spain. Prescriptions from outside the EU are generally not valid, so a Spanish doctor must issue a new one.

Can I get a foreign prescription filled for stimulants or benzodiazepines?

No, foreign prescriptions for controlled drugs such as stimulants or benzodiazepines are normally not accepted in Spain. You need a Spanish prescription, and the doctor will usually reassess you first. Book that appointment early, because public-system waits can interrupt treatment.

Will a Spanish doctor accept my ADHD diagnosis made abroad?

Spanish doctors take a foreign diagnosis into account, but an adult ADHD diagnosis is often reassessed before they prescribe. A private psychiatrist is generally faster than the public system. Bring the report with the diagnosis, dose and active ingredient.

How do I find the Spanish name of my medicine?

Look up the active ingredient (principio activo) from your packaging, not the brand name. Search it in CIMA, the Spanish medicines agency's online database, to see generic equivalents, strengths and whether it needs a prescription. A Spanish doctor or pharmacist should confirm the match.