Your GP and everyday public care
You will know who your GP is, how to book and change them, and what to expect in a consultation.
Spain's public primary care works differently from many other countries. You are assigned a family doctor (GP) and a health centre based on where you live. You book appointments in advance, and a phone call often comes before any face-to-face visit. This topic shows you how to get your doctor…
Pick the article that fits your situation
How you get a family doctor and health centre (centro de salud)
Explains how public primary care is assigned in Spain: your health centre, doctor and nurse follow your registered home address. Read it if you are a new resident about to use the public health system and want to know who will treat you.
Can you change your assigned doctor or health centre?
You can usually ask for a different GP, nurse or health centre. This page explains when a change is likely to be accepted, where to ask, and what to expect, for anyone with a tarjeta sanitaria.
Booking a GP appointment (cita previa): phone, app and online
How to book, change and cancel a public GP appointment in Spain by phone, app, website or in person, and what to expect when logging in to your region's health portal. For newcomers already registered with a health centre.
What a visit to a Spanish health centre is really like
What to expect at a Spanish public health centre: a short, free GP visit, often after a phone or desk triage, with your GP deciding whether you see a specialist. For newcomers using the public system.
Who works at your health centre: nurse, midwife, paediatrician and others
Your public health centre is a team, not just a GP. This page explains what each professional does, which ones you can book directly, and which need a GP referral. It is for anyone newly registered at a Spanish public health centre.
About this topic
It is for anyone thinking about moving to Spain, planning a move, or already settling in. By the end, you will know who your GP is, how to book and change them, and what a consultation is like.
Start with "How you get a family doctor and health centre (centro de salud)". It explains how assignment by address works and what your doctor and nurse do. After that, the other pages cover:
- changing your assigned doctor or centre
- booking appointments by phone, app or online
- what a visit is really like
- who else works at your health centre
Prescriptions, sick leave, children's and pregnancy care, emergencies and chronic-condition handover are covered elsewhere.
Key rules
- Specialist referral: In the public system you normally need a referral from your GP to see a specialist, except in emergencies and some regional direct-access services.
- GP visit cost: A GP visit in the public system is free at the point of care if you are covered by it, with no copayment for consultations.
- Assigned centre: You are assigned the health centre of the zone covering your registered home address, with a family doctor and a paired nurse.
- Assignment: Your centre follows your registered home address, so moving house can change it.
- Doctor and nurse: You get a family doctor and a paired nurse who share the same patient list.
- Region: Your region's health service runs your booking, so use its phone line, website or app, not another region's.
Documents you may need
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Your NIE — Booking a GP appointment (cita previa): phone, app and online
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Your registered health card — Booking a GP appointment (cita previa): phone, app and online
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A Cl@ve account or a digital certificate — Booking a GP appointment (cita previa): phone, app and online
Your GP and everyday public care: questions that cross several articles
Can I choose a health centre far from my home?
Often yes, but it depends on your region. You are first assigned the centre of the zone covering your registered home address, and some regions let you pick another centre or doctor if it has room. Read "How you get a family doctor and health centre (centro de salud)" and then "Can you change your assigned doctor or health centre?".
Do I need a reason to change my doctor?
Not always, because it depends on your region. Where choice is free, the change is granted if the new doctor has room. Elsewhere you may need a reason, such as a move, the doctor's retirement or a family or work reason. A full list can also be refused. See "Can you change your assigned doctor or health centre?".
Where do I book my GP appointment once I have a doctor?
You can usually book by phone, on your regional health service's website or app, or in person at the centre's admissions desk (admisión). Phone and in-person booking work everywhere. Read "Booking a GP appointment (cita previa): phone, app and online".
Can I see a specialist without going to my GP first?
Normally no, because the public system asks for a referral (derivación) from your GP first. Emergencies are the exception, and some regions allow direct access to services such as gynaecology, eye care or mental health. Read "What a visit to a Spanish health centre is really like" and "Who works at your health centre: nurse, midwife, paediatrician and others".
Is the portal and app the same in every region?
No, each region runs its own health service with its own portal and appointment app. See Booking a GP appointment (cita previa): phone, app and online.
Explore places
Where you live changes the details. See how Spanish regions and cities compare on rent, jobs, weather, safety and healthcare.
What to read next
More in Public healthcare access
Finding your public healthcare route
You will know which route applies to your situation and what, if anything, you have to do to start it.
EU, UK and S1 healthcare rights
You will know whether your home state or Spain pays for your care, which card or form to use and when the temporary card stops working.
Getting your health card (tarjeta sanitaria)
You will know the order of steps from before the move through your first weeks, what to bring and what to do when the card is late or stops working.
Also in Healthcare and insurance
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