Registering with a doctor...how do we tell them our medical history?

Shortly: If it's your first time in Spain, once you have the 'tarjeta sanitaria' (health card), just ask for a meeting with your doctor and present him your major problems and medications.

In more details (Note: this is for the public health system):

1. You need an 'empadronamiento', which means to register to the local authority (usually town hall), with an official paper regarding your location (rental contract for instance). Could take some times (like up to 2 months).
2. Once you have it, you can ask for the health card. Again, could take some times (2 to 4 weeks).

So it's better to have no problems and enough medications in the meanwhile. There is an european health card but if you are in UK, I'n not sure you can get it.

On the 1st meeting, the doctor might recommend some exams but eventually, you will end with an electronic prescription. For instance, you have blood pressure, the doctor recommends pills for that, you go to a pharmacy and present your health card, and you get your pills. Usually once a month, and you have to renew the electronic prescription regularly - like every 3 months. You can do that by phone.

Your medications might be different in Spain so presenting the english ones might not help the doctor, go with the notice.

Hope it helps.

@CBES3950

Good question. I would also like to know whether it is common to bring translated medical records from Germany when registering with a doctor in Spain.

Speaking as a surgeon working in Spain: you don't need to translate your full records. What really helps your new GP (médico de cabecera) is a concise summary:

1. Current diagnoses and past major illnesses or operations, with approximate dates
2. Current medications with their generic names and doses (brand names often differ in Spain)
3. Allergies
4. Recent relevant reports: latest blood tests, imaging, and letters from any consultants you see regularly

Ask your UK GP for a printed patient summary before you leave, and keep digital copies of the key reports. A Spanish translation of that summary is useful, but it doesn't need to be an official sworn translation for medical purposes. Bring enough medication to cover the first weeks too, as getting your first appointment can take a little while.

Once you have your health card (tarjeta sanitaria), book a first visit with your GP, take the summary, and they will refer you to specialists if you need ongoing follow-up. If you'll be receiving a UK state pension, also look into the S1 form for access to public healthcare.

Dr. Carlos García Vásquez