- Messages
- 18
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Though diagnosed with T2 in 2013, it is only recently I have started taking the issue seriously.
Living as a foreign national in Spain presents an additional hurdle in so far as accessing health services is concerned. A general lack of awareness as to the Spanish health service norms and expectations, the language barrier, and that feeling of not wanting to be a 'foreign benefit scrounger', all play a part.
I have started to gather information and resources which I would like to share, and I hope that in time others living in Spain may find this post and add their own knowledge and resources. If there are enough of us perhaps we can ask the forum for a sub-forum, and I'm putting a resources blog together with the information I do have.
You will note that the language in the last paragraph feels a little unnatural. It is intentional as I hope it will help flag this post in internal forum searches and external google searches - so i have tried to cram as many potential search terms into the text as possible. MODERATORS - please let me know if this attempt to find others is within the rules, or if there is a better way of achieving the same thing.
I had a search myself, there were quite a few returns, but mainly from people living in Spain who had just been diagnosed and didn't know what to do next. Whether you see this post immediately, or after two years of no activity - please do still get in touch. I don't know how many of us there will be but if only a few there is all the more reason to benefit from our shared experiences and knowledge.
I hope to hear from Type 1 Diabetics living in Spain and Type 2 Diabetics living in Spain. The aim is to provide information on health services for diabetics in Spain, including what health services are available to people with diabetes in Spain. I have some information on organisations who support people with T1 diabetes in Spain and T2 diabetes in Spain.
English : Spanish : Catalan : Galician : Basque
diabetic : diabético : diabetis : diabético : diabetikoa
diabetes : diabetes : diabetis : diabetes : diabetes
Health Services for foreigners
In 2000 it was made law that foreigners would receive the same health care services as Spanish citizens, however in 2012 as part of a big cut in health service spending, a new law stated that Spain would refuse to give assistance to unregistered foreigners. This hasn't been applied by all the comunidades autónomas (regions) though if you are registered on the padron your position remains unchanged - so if the Spanish get it, you should get it (at least until Brexit tells us otherwise). Minors under 18 and pregnant/post natal women retain equal rights to Spanish citizens regardless of their residential status.
Support Services for people with Diabetes in Spain.
The Spanish equivalent of Diabetes.co.uk is FEDE, Federación Española de Diabetes (FEDE). Though entirely in Spanish, Google translate doesn't make a bad job of translating their website at https://www.fedesp.es/portal/portada_dir/portada.aspx?idportal=1# and among many other things it has a directory of local organisations who give advice to people with diabetes in Spain.
Blood Tests
The Spanish use the same system as the U.K. in measuring HBA1C, mmol/mo and %. you will see the English glycated haemoglobin reported under Hemog Glicosilada in Spanish Blood tests for Diabetes
Living as a foreign national in Spain presents an additional hurdle in so far as accessing health services is concerned. A general lack of awareness as to the Spanish health service norms and expectations, the language barrier, and that feeling of not wanting to be a 'foreign benefit scrounger', all play a part.
I have started to gather information and resources which I would like to share, and I hope that in time others living in Spain may find this post and add their own knowledge and resources. If there are enough of us perhaps we can ask the forum for a sub-forum, and I'm putting a resources blog together with the information I do have.
You will note that the language in the last paragraph feels a little unnatural. It is intentional as I hope it will help flag this post in internal forum searches and external google searches - so i have tried to cram as many potential search terms into the text as possible. MODERATORS - please let me know if this attempt to find others is within the rules, or if there is a better way of achieving the same thing.
I had a search myself, there were quite a few returns, but mainly from people living in Spain who had just been diagnosed and didn't know what to do next. Whether you see this post immediately, or after two years of no activity - please do still get in touch. I don't know how many of us there will be but if only a few there is all the more reason to benefit from our shared experiences and knowledge.
I hope to hear from Type 1 Diabetics living in Spain and Type 2 Diabetics living in Spain. The aim is to provide information on health services for diabetics in Spain, including what health services are available to people with diabetes in Spain. I have some information on organisations who support people with T1 diabetes in Spain and T2 diabetes in Spain.
English : Spanish : Catalan : Galician : Basque
diabetic : diabético : diabetis : diabético : diabetikoa
diabetes : diabetes : diabetis : diabetes : diabetes
Health Services for foreigners
In 2000 it was made law that foreigners would receive the same health care services as Spanish citizens, however in 2012 as part of a big cut in health service spending, a new law stated that Spain would refuse to give assistance to unregistered foreigners. This hasn't been applied by all the comunidades autónomas (regions) though if you are registered on the padron your position remains unchanged - so if the Spanish get it, you should get it (at least until Brexit tells us otherwise). Minors under 18 and pregnant/post natal women retain equal rights to Spanish citizens regardless of their residential status.
Support Services for people with Diabetes in Spain.
The Spanish equivalent of Diabetes.co.uk is FEDE, Federación Española de Diabetes (FEDE). Though entirely in Spanish, Google translate doesn't make a bad job of translating their website at https://www.fedesp.es/portal/portada_dir/portada.aspx?idportal=1# and among many other things it has a directory of local organisations who give advice to people with diabetes in Spain.
Blood Tests
The Spanish use the same system as the U.K. in measuring HBA1C, mmol/mo and %. you will see the English glycated haemoglobin reported under Hemog Glicosilada in Spanish Blood tests for Diabetes
