How to arrange dialysis on holiday in Spain: GHIC, costs and booking

Spain is one of the easiest countries in the world for a dialysis holiday. It has a dense network of units, many of them in the resort areas where visitors go, and a long history of treating visiting patients from the UK and the rest of Europe.

Where you can dialyse in Spain

Most popular holiday areas have units within easy reach:

• Tenerife, with units in the south near Los Cristianos and Playa de las Américas as well as around Santa Cruz
• Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, which each have a dedicated holiday dialysis centre in the main resort area
• Palma de Mallorca and the rest of Mallorca
• Ibiza
• Málaga, Marbella and the Costa del Sol
• Benidorm and Alicante on the Costa Blanca
• Barcelona and Madrid
• Valencia, Seville and Granada
• San Sebastián in the north

For addresses and phone numbers of every unit, town by town, see holiday dialysis in Spain.

Public or private units?

Spanish dialysis is delivered by public hospitals and by private units, many of which are contracted to the regional public health service. For visitors this matters because it decides whether your GHIC or EHIC applies:

• Public units, and private units contracted to the public system, generally accept pre-arranged GHIC/EHIC patients.
• Purely private units charge you directly, typically around €150–€350 a session.

Always confirm with the unit, in writing, whether they'll treat you under GHIC/EHIC before you book. See holiday dialysis for UK patients.

When to book

Spanish resort units get very busy. Book well ahead:

• Canary Islands in winter (November to March): 3 months or more, as this is peak season
• Balearics and the Costas in summer (June to September): 3 months or more
• Cities, off season: 6–8 weeks is often enough

What the units will ask for

Expect the usual pack from your home unit: prescription, recent bloods, hepatitis B/C and HIV results (often within the last 1–3 months), usually an MRSA screen, your medication list and a medical summary. Many Spanish units are used to receiving this in English.

Getting to your sessions

Resort units often run morning and afternoon shifts. Some offer transport to and from nearby hotels, especially in the Canaries. If not, a taxi or pre-booked transfer is easiest. When choosing where to stay, check how far you'll be from the unit. Each of our Spain city pages lists nearby hotels.

Common questions

This article is general information, not medical or legal advice. Details change, so always confirm with the unit before you travel.