Healthcare in Lanzarote

Public Healthcare — the Spanish system on the island

The public healthcare system in Lanzarote is part of the Servicio Canario de Salud (SCS). Once you have your SIP card (see our Paperwork guide), you can access any public health centre. The quality is solid, wait times for GPs are reasonable (usually same-day or next-day), and prescriptions are heavily subsidised — you pay only a percentage of the cost. Specialist referrals take longer, but the system works reliably for routine and emergency care.

The central hospital for the entire island is the Hospital Universitario Doctor José Molina Orosa in Arrecife. Located at Carretera Arrecife-Tinajo km 1.3, it serves 133,225 people and has 24-hour emergency services. The phone number is 928 595 000. For specialist appointments, you need a referral from your GP at your local health centre first — you cannot walk in directly unless it's an emergency.

In addition to the hospital, every major town has its own centro de salud: Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen (Tías), Playa Blanca (Yaiza), Costa Teguise, San Bartolomé, Teguise, Tinajo, and Haría. Each one handles GP visits, vaccinations, blood tests, and minor procedures. Smaller villages may have a consultorio local with limited hours. Find your nearest centre and register there — it will be your first point of contact for anything non-emergency.

Emergencies — what to do when something goes wrong

For any emergency — medical, fire, or police — the single number across Spain and the Canary Islands is 112. It's free, operates 24/7 in multiple languages including English, and connects you to the appropriate service based on location. If you're unsure whether something qualifies as an emergency, call anyway. They will triage.

For non-life-threatening medical issues outside GP hours, each municipality has a 24-hour urgent care centre (Servicio de Urgencias de Atención Primaria, or SUAP). These are typically attached to the larger centros de salud. In Arrecife, the Urgencias at the Hospital José Molina Orosa handles walk-in emergencies around the clock. Wait times vary depending on severity and time of day — evenings and weekends are busiest.

Pharmacies (farmacias) display a green cross and are well-stocked. Each municipality has a farmacia de guardia (duty pharmacy) open overnight and on Sundays — a roster is posted on every pharmacy door and available at www.farmaciasguardiaregistradas.es. Many pharmacists speak basic English and can advise on minor ailments without you needing a doctor.

Private Healthcare & Insurance

Many foreign residents on Lanzarote choose private health insurance, especially during the waiting period before their SIP card arrives or for faster access to specialists. Private cover typically costs between €50 and €150 per month for a comprehensive plan — less if you're younger and healthy. Common providers include Sanitas, Asisa, Adeslas, and Mapfre. Several private clinics operate in Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise and Arrecife, offering shorter wait times for consultations, diagnostics, and elective procedures.

Private insurance is worth it if you want English-speaking doctors, faster specialist access, or dental and optical coverage (not included in public healthcare). If you're applying for a visa — such as the Non-Lucrative Visa — comprehensive private health insurance without copayments is a mandatory requirement until you qualify for the public system. Once you have full residency and a SIP card, many people keep a basic private plan alongside it for flexibility.