Centro de Salud

Sorry but If you reside in Mojacar you have no choice you either register in the Pueblo if you live there or at the centre of the playa at the rear of Parque Commercial.  They say you must speak Spanish or provide your own interpreter there are several listed on their notice board.  The only way to be sure of an English spoken doctor is to use the private one in Parque Commercial.   You take your medical card to the surgery and complete a transfer request form, the receptionist helps with this.   We also came here from Arboleas and miss Dr Ernesto and Juan!

Dr. Maria Jose Gomez at Garrucha Health Centre speaks perfect English.

I have been under her care for 14 years.  That alone is something of a record in the Spanish Health Service with all the changes that happen.

I can't recommend her enough.

Further to my previous reply.

You do not have to use the Health Centre in the town where you reside, I do not live in Garrucha.

The only downside, maybe, is that you could not ask for a home visit outside of the Garrucha boundaries.

We were told that in the event of an emergency in unless you were registered with a doctor in your home area you would only get the emergency staff not a doctor from the surgery.  As my husband had already previously experienced the trauma of a heart attack it was something we had to consider.

Thanks for the info. will probably end up at Garrucha - can the reception complete the transfer from our previous doctor in Arboleas or do you have to go to a main centre? When we registered at Arboleas we had to register first at the Medical Centre in Albox.

Many thanks.

I have never heard that.

Simply go to the Health Centre, ask for a Registration Form, and with your Health Service Card, request the doctor that you wish to register with.

You then will be placed on their 'books' and treated exactly the same as anyone else, be they Spanish or British.

If anyone knows if this has changed, please let me know.  As I have said before, I have been treated at Garrucha, Lived in Turre, and have had many visits to Huercal Overa Hospital for treatment during the last 14 years without any problems at all.

We had to show our Padron to the receptionist to register and they allocated the doctor we didn't get to choose.  She said we couldn't register at Garrucha when we asked about the English speaking doctor.  Perhaps because of the numbers rising in the areas you now don't get to choose probably different 14 years ago.  Try Garrucha reception and see what happens good luck.

The receptionists do not speak English.  Put a translator app on your phone or take a translator with you.  Maria Jose is the only doctor who speaks English.   You will soon get used to the procedure.  You could always download a 'salud responde' app once registered and make your own appointments.

We registered in Garrucha 2wks ago and they asked me if I wanted the English speaking doctor Maria Garcia Gonzalez.The receptionists don't speak English but with our limited Spanish and Google translate we muddled thru.