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goldilocks
15-06-2012, 12:08
Hello, This is my first post.

My family and I are moving to Tenerife in 2014. I have however just (last week) been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.. this means that I need to have insulin injections. I just wanted to know if anyone on here also had Diabetes and ask them for advice on what medical care I would be entitled to... would I need to go private etc.
I would be so grateful for any advice as finding this out so recently has been a huge shock, and it has made me start to worry that the plan we all have maybe ruined because I have this illness.

thank you

caroll72
15-06-2012, 21:43
Hubby was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes while we lived on tenerife in 2010.
We returned to the uk one year later, mainly because of this illness.
He was diagnosed at the Adeje hospital, but the problem for us was we couldnt speak or understand enough spanish to be able to communicate with the doctors.
Since we came back, the level of care has been first class & he attends regular appointments & has checks on his eyes, feet etc, in fact, everything that can happen to your body because of diabetes is checked regulary.
It is possible that, had we spoke the language, the level of care would have been just as good over in tenerife.
It's a complicated illness & all i can advise is that you go private. Either that, or learn to speak spanish. But i'd also have a chat with your diabetes consultant in the uk.

nicki
16-06-2012, 00:41
hi ,

they know lots and threath diabetes really well and here, i would in any case have a private health insurance, because you have more possiblities being helped sooner, the only thing is that in most private healthcareinsurances medication is not covered, which then means you would get them prescripted from the social doctor to get the best prices, and some diabeticmedication is differents brands here then back home. myself had some test done in the hospital Costa Adeje and most doctors speak a bit of english, but you can always take a translator with you.Since you have diabetic 1 its different then 2, from people i know here with diabetes i can tell that the follow up is really good. so i would get private healthinsurance but at the same time build a good relationship with the social doctor of the spanish system, best of 2 worlds, good luck with it.

goldilocks
16-06-2012, 09:27
Thank you so much for that advice. My mind is a little more at rest now.

callaopam
16-06-2012, 13:57
Hello, This is my first post.

My family and I are moving to Tenerife in 2014. I have however just (last week) been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.. this means that I need to have insulin injections. I just wanted to know if anyone on here also had Diabetes and ask them for advice on what medical care I would be entitled to... would I need to go private etc.
I would be so grateful for any advice as finding this out so recently has been a huge shock, and it has made me start to worry that the plan we all have maybe ruined because I have this illness.

thank you


If you are moving here to work, then you ( or your husband) will need to pay into the system to get any social health care, unless you are a UK pensioner, in which case you should discuss this with the DWP overseas division. If you are looking for work, you will be able to get some social health care based on your UK contributions, but this is only for a period up to 2 years. The problem with this is that here in Tenerife ( its different on the mainland) they will NOT let you register with a doctor if you are using your UK contributions for reciprocal health care, which makes it a nightmare going to the doctors and having to fill in forms every time, and possibly seeing a different doctor. This happened to me ( I take a lot of medication), I had to queue up to make an apppointment, then queue to see the doctor. Blood tests were always a nightmare because they always lost the results - there is no continuity in your records and getting anything more that basic treatment is an issue.
The government here is trying to change the rules for foreigners receiving reciprocal health care, so you should check the DWP website occasionally for an update. As you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, any private health care here will be expensive.
I would check this out thoroughly before you make the move.