Are you sick?

If you have a European Health Insurance Card E111, approved under EU Regulation 14/08/71 or equivalent you don’t have to worry about it!

Students, workers… a lot of people come to Dublin every day. They start a new life far from their family, their friends, and all their comforts. To be honest with you, for the most part, this is very funny and exciting. But, you know, it can’t be a party everyday!

The crazy Irish weather is very hard to stand for the people who come from a different part of the world. If you think for a moment about the Spanish or the Italian weather during the spring, it will be immediately clear that there is an important difference between these two and Dublin’s weather.

For this reason it’s very common to be flu, cold… and what you should do in this case?

First of all, you have to  find a GP (that means General Practitioner) who is contracted to the Primary Care Reimbursement Services (PCRS) scheme. That’s very important: if you are not sure that the GP closest to you is a member of this scheme you can check it on the local Health Offices, which includes all the contact numbers.

So, you’ll be able to enjoy free treatment under the EU regulation!

The GP will give you a special PCRS  prescription indicating to the pharmacist that the medicine is to be provided free of charge.

Don’t forget to check the hour in which the doctors will be able to see you. They usually make different practices and the hours change from practice to practice. “Out-of-Hours” treatment can be done by call, through the number provided by the GP’s telephone answering machine.

For more information about specialist treatments, dentists, and hospital care visit the web site http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/schemes/EHIC/visitors/Visitors_to_Ireland.html.

By the way, if you are sick, enjoy the day at home with a cup of hot tea with honey and milk! (Says Tudor)