Doctor

There are excellent doctors (médicos) throughout Spain, although finding a doctor who speaks good English can be a problem, particularly in rural areas. However, there's a wide choice of foreign and Spanish English speaking doctors and other medical practitioners here, including American, Scandinavian and, of course, British. For an up to date list of the latter, contact the British Consulate in Malaga.
Bear in mind that if you wish to see a doctor, who is contracted to Spain's public health service, you may have little choice of doctor and they will almost certainly all be Spanish. Many tourist offices also keep a list of English speaking doctors and SUR in English, which is available every Friday throughout the Costa del Sol, generally carries advertisements for some of the local English dentists and doctors as doctors are allowed to advertise their services in Spain. General practitioners or family doctors are listed in the Yellow Pages under 'Médicos' and specialists under their speciality.
The ratio of doctors to inhabitants is comparable with other western European countries and in most of the cities and resort areas here there are more than enough doctors. Always try to choose a doctor who allocates you sufficient time and who will explain his diagnosis and recommended course of treatment. Note that if you don't speak Spanish, you may need a translator if you see a Spanish doctor.
If you take regular medication, are undergoing a course of treatment, or suffer from a long term illness or disability, you should ask your present (overseas) doctor to provide a short statement about your case and have it translated into Spanish before arriving in Spain.
If you have private health insurance you can choose to see any doctor at any time and aren't required to register with a doctor or visit a doctor within a certain distance of your home. This also makes it easy to obtain a second opinion, should you wish to do so.
If you need the services of a medical auxiliary such as a nurse, physiotherapist or chiropodist, you must obtain a referral or prescription from a doctor. Health insurance companies also usually insist on a referral from a family doctor but if you have a free choice policy you can select your own specialist or other practitioner. In Spain, specialists don't require patients to have a doctor's referral. Note, however, that a referral is necessary for public health patients and may also be required under a private health insurance policy.
Alternative medical practitioners are becoming more popular in Andalucia. Don't forget to check whether he or she is state registered before making an appointment. Doctors in Spain still make house calls, although if you live in a remote rural area, you may have trouble getting a doctor to call on you