Find out how to see a doctor in Mallorca if you are visiting the island on holiday and what to expect from medical treatment as a tourist.

Having a medical emergency on holiday can be extremely distressing, and more so if you cannot speak Spanish.

I have seen some posts recently on the Mallorca Under the Sun Facebook group asking how to see a doctor in Mallorca, about medical treatment in Mallorca, so I thought I’d put together this quick-fire article to answer any questions you may have about seeing a doctor in Spain.

Find out how you can get medical attention here in Spain, and most specifically Mallorca, how to cope if you don’t speak Spanish, the best place to go if you are very unwell, what paperwork you will need and whether you will have to pay for it.

Also, I will tell you about what to expect if you are admitted to the hospital and about the amazing community of expats that we have in Mallorca who may be able to help you.

How to Treat Non-serious Medical Conditions on Holiday

The best way to cope with a non-serious medical condition on holiday in Spain is to go to the Farmacia or pharmacy. 

You will easily see pharmacies which you can identify from the illuminated green cross in all resorts and high streets.

You can visit these in the same way you would do at home – to get painkillers, over-the-counter treatments and also some medical advice.

Just note though that you cannot get antibiotics over the counter here in Spain. You will need to see a doctor in a medical centre to get a prescription (or receta) beforehand.

Farmacias are open from around 8:30 or 09:00 to around 13:30 to 14:00 and open again at around 16:00 until around 20:00.

On Saturdays, they will close at lunchtime and not open again until Monday.

You will find 24-hour pharmacies dotted around the island. Google “24 hour pharmacies mallorca” to find where these are near you.

What to do if you have a Medical Emergency in Mallorca

Call 112 immediately.  

112 is the telephone number for the emergency services and it is free to call. 

Calling 112 number will give you the option to call for the police, fire brigade or an ambulance, so use this for any real-life emergency.

Please if in doubt and you or the person you are with is seriously ill, call this number or get professional advice. 

Please avoid asking for medical opinions on social media (and yes, we do get medical questions from time to time on the Facebook group). 

The only advice you will be given in the Mallorca Under The Sun Facebook group is to seek official medical attention at a medical centre or hospital.

Furthermore, if you are visiting Mallorca on holiday with a severe food allergy, then check out this guide to eating out and most importantly getting medical treatment.

How to see a doctor in Mallorca

If you feel ill or in pain and you wish to see a doctor and you are visiting the island on holiday, you will find medical centres dotted throughout resorts in Mallorca which are open from 1 May to 31 October.

Outside of these times, you may need to travel to a medical in a larger town nearby.

There are two types of medical centres in Spain – private and public (state).  

There are state medical centres called PACs (or punto de atención continuada) as well as private medical practices. 

If you do not have travel insurance but have an EHIC (or European Health Insurance Card) or GHIC (or Global European Health Insurance card), then I would recommend visiting Urgencias or the Emergency room in a state or public hospital.  

If you have travel insurance with health care, private doctors or medical centres will see you almost immediately.  But you may have to pay an excess or an upfront cost based on your medical insurance which will be in the region of 50€ to 75€ for a general consultation, but it is a fast way of getting treatment.

If you do not have medical insurance,  you will still be seen, but you will have to pay for a private consultation and prices vary and depending on where you go, the bill can be hefty.

As an example when my daughter had her toe crushed at her father’s work, her health insurance was between two policies.  She was taken to a private clinic.  

Thankfully the policy had started on the week of her accident but since we did not have the paperwork in place I was threatened by the hospital staff that I could have faced a 20,000€ bill as she needed an emergency operation. 

It was an absolutely terrifying and stressful experience until a call to the insurance company sorted the matter out.  

I don’t want to worry you, but for peace of mind, you can see the importance of having travel insurance in place or at the very least your EHIC or GHIC card.

You can apply to get an EHIC card in your home before leaving to go on holiday.

The same applies to the GHIC card.

UK citizens who still hold the EHIC card which was issued before Brexit will still be able to use this for emergency health care in Spain.

Most importantly, if you require urgent medical attention, and you do not have a travel insurance policy and only have an EHIC or GHIC card, ask the ambulance or a taxi driver to take you to the public or State hospital which are as follows:

Public Hospitals in Mallorca:

Son Espases, Palma

Carrer de Valldemosa, 79
07120 Palma (Mallorca) Spain

Son Llatzer, Palma

Carretera de Manacor, Km 4, 07198 Palma de Mallorca

Manacor Hospital

Carretera Manacor Alcudia, s/n 07500 Manacor

Inca Hospital

Carretera Vieja de Llubí, s/n, 07300 Inca

If you are in the Palma area and you have travel insurance with private medical cover then the most central hospital is:

Clinic Rotger 

Vía Roma, 3, Carrer de Santiago Rusiñol, 9, 07012.

This hospital is just a 5-minute walk from Palma Bus Station and Plaza España, so will be the easiest hospital to get to if you are staying in the city or arriving by bus.

To find out more about getting around Mallorca, check out this link here.

How to see a doctor in Mallorca WITHOUT Travel Insurance or an EHIC or GHIC card

Hospitals in Spain must give medical treatment in an emergency whether or not you have medical or health insurance. 

If you are a British Citizen and visiting Spain without travel insurance or an EHIC or GHIC card, then you can still get medical help. 

However, you may have to pay for some treatments. 

It would be advisable that if you do not have at least a GHIC or EHIC card to get a temporary replacement. 

If you are British with a National Insurance Number, you apply for a provisional replacement certificate (PRC) from the UK Government.

You can call this number here:

NHS Overseas Healthcare Services

Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 1999

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Alternatively, you can apply online for a Provisional Replacement Certificate for your EHIC or GHIC card on this link here.

If you are visiting on a package holiday, please keep your rep informed, especially if you are admitted to the hospital and may have to miss or change your flight home.

Does the EHIC or GHIC card replace the need for travel insurance?

UK and EU citizens and residents who have an EHIC or a GHIC card, please note this does not replace getting good travel insurance, as there may be some instances where you have to pay for treatment.

For example, an EHIC or GHIC card will not pay for repatriation (ie. getting a flight home if you are unable to take your booked flight) or the costs of getting rescued.

So consider also getting a travel insurance policy before going on holiday.

American and Canadian visitors must travel with a good travel insurance policy with medical care if they are visiting Spain.

Please read the terms of this carefully as to whether you will be covered for public or private care (or both):

What to take if you’re visiting a doctor in Spain

It is essential that you take your passport, travel insurance /and or your GHIC or EHIC card if applicable to the medical centre.

If you have private medical insurance, then take your travel insurance documents and your passport to any of the private clinics and ask to see a doctor. 

I would also recommend taking a book, mobile phone and charger, snacks and a drink (if you won’t be requiring surgery) and money as you may have to wait before seeing a doctor.

How to see a doctor in Spain on a Sunday

If you are feeling unwell on a Sunday when the medical centres are closed, then I would advise going to the Emergency Room (Urgencias) in a hospital.

Many medical centres in Mallorca’s holiday resorts will have doctors “on-call” however, if you need immediate treatment and are feeling very unwell, then please go to Urgencias (or ER). 

Choose between private or public depending on whether or not you have travel insurance.

Do doctors speak English or German in Spain?

Many doctors do speak really good English and others can speak German too. 

Many hospitals will offer translation services, however, if you are in a hospital and have trouble making yourself understood, then download the Google Translate or iTranslate.

This will help with any translation issues you may have.  Always ask if a translator is available.

How to get to a hospital in Mallorca

If you have a medical emergency then call an ambulance.  If not get a taxi. 

I’m going to highlight this point again because it is so important.

If you do not have travel insurance including medical cover and you are on holiday, and you are taking a taxi, ask them to take you to the nearest PUBLIC hospital. 

If you have a hire car, I would avoid driving to Son Espaces. There are rarely any parking spots from 9 am to 4 pm and it can be incredibly stressful to find a space. 

Also, if you park at the private hospital you will have to pay for parking which can cost a lot if you have to stay in the hospital.

Both the EMT Palma buses and the TIB island buses have routes which include hospital stops.

To find the hospital route on the EMT bus service, check this link here

To find a hospital route on the TIB bus service, check this link here. 

What to expect from medical treatment on holiday in Mallorca

If you are not a Spanish resident, and you have been checked into the hospital, then expect to be given treatment so you are well enough to take your flight home even if further treatment is required.

The hospital treatment is more likely to be emergency treatment to patch you up and send you on your way. 

It is not designed to offer holidaymakers any kind of medical tourism experience if you are struggling to get treatment in your own country.

So don’t be surprised if a hospital will get you health-wise to the point that you can fly home, rather than being well enough to return to your hotel and your holiday if your condition is serious.

What to expect staying in a hospital in Spain

If you are checked into a hospital, you may need to be aware of the following points. 

Children must have an adult staying in their room at all times including at night time.

There are usually no set visiting hours and you can receive visitors during the day.

If you are in a private hospital, there will probably be a spare bed in the room with the person you are staying with.

In a public hospital, companions will have a recliner chair to sleep on.

If you are on holiday and are struggling in any way with a family member that has been admitted to hospital, or you are on your own in hospital and you need the support of the Expat community living in Mallorca, then do make a post on either the Mallorca Under the Sun Facebook group or any other Facebook community on the island. 

There are enough residents here who will offer help and assistance in hospitals to those really in need.  

If you have family or friends in the hospital, and you need to stay in a hotel near a hospital in Mallorca, check out this link here.

Finally, if your medical treatment is in relation to crime in Mallorca, and you wish to report a crime, then check out this article here to find out how to do that. 

British citizens wishing to read more about receiving healthcare in Spain, find more UK Government information here

EU Citizens or residents wishing to read more about getting access to free healthcare in Europe, find out more information here.

I hope this guide on how to see a doctor in Mallorca was helpful. Let me know your experiences below.

Disclaimer:  This information is intended as a guide.  Information can change at any time or change depending on circumstances. Mallorca Under the Sun is by no way responsible for your hospital experience, treatment or any insurance or payment issues you may encounter.   Please contact your insurance company or a health official for more information.