The level of training for healthcare professionals is high and the facilities in which they operate are modern and well funded.

The public and private systems operate alongside each other, and if you choose private healthcare then the cost is considerably lower then an equivalent policy in the UK.

Hospitals

Many of the doctors, and nurses speak English and there is a hard working team of voluntary interpreters available.

The excellent hi-tech facilities, especially for cancer care, have been funded in part by donations from local ex-pat charities and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.

The accident and emergency department at the Costa del Sol Hospital is open 24 hours and staffed by a dedicated and highly trained team.

Translators are usually available to help you communicate with the doctors and nurses.

There are several private ambulance companies who will visit you if required.

Many can perform quite complex medical procedures from the ambulances, which are equipped to a high standard.

This can be important in cases such as heart attacks where immediate medical attention is required.

Perhaps the most well known company is Helicopteros Sanitarias who operate an air ambulance to significantly reduce travel time to the hospital.

Several golfers and off-road enthusiasts owe their lives to this service as the helicopter has been able to reach them many times quicker than a road ambulance.

Emergency number: 061

If you register with the Spanish local Health Authority you will be assigned a doctor, based on distance to your registered address.

This can be a problem for those who do not speak Spanish as some doctors will have only a basic level of English, especially in rural areas away from the coast.

Those who choose to subscribe to a health insurance scheme can choose any doctor and any facility in the Costa del Sol.

There are many private clinics and doctors operating in the population centres along the coast, many specialising in certain areas of medicine.

Check the local press (SUR in English) for details of English speaking doctors in your area, or in some cases the local tourist information centres will have lists of English speaking doctors together with their contact details.

There are many private clinics operating in the area offering the complete range of medical and cosmetic treatments. It is important to check the accreditation of your chosen practitioner, especially with cosmetic surgery and alternative therapies, as no medical training is required by law to operate such a facility.

Private clinics range from general practices to small centres housing specialists ranging from podiatrists to dentists to physical therapists to alternative health specialists.

Some of the larger private clinics also have on-site surgeries. However, it is common practice for private centres to refer patients to the public health system for expensive tests or treatment requiring expensive equipment.

The long established Inacsol health resort in Marbella offers top-quality medical treatment to patients from all around the world. They have recently announced the installation of a new scanner, the only one of its type outside Madrid, that will be able to detect ailments such as cancer at a much earlier stage.