Medical treatment

[Geoff]

Just a brief note to say how impressed we were with the Portuguese health service recently. My wife was bitten by a dog , so we went to the A&E at Portimao hospital. She went through triage within 5 minutes, had a photo taken, saw a doctor, had a tetanus jab & wound treated all inside 90 minutes, with a computer printout detailing whom she was seen by & when : all for free on production of an EHIC card.
We did have to pay €5 for a course of antibiotics , but she then had to see a nurse daily at either Carveiro or Lagoa health centres. Whilst the CVO one was difficult to find, both were very modern, clean & helpful...& free.
All round excellent treatment.
Whilst we had travel insurance, this saved us a £50 excess and a £30 UK doctor fee ( for the insurance questionnaire) had we gone privately.

[Lesley Jean]

Sorry to hear about your wife being bitten but so good to hear positive comments about the local health service/medical treatment, it is good to hear when things work well rather than people who usually moan about what went wrong!!

Hope your wife is OK now.

[Geoff]

Yes, she's absolutely fine now...apart from the scar!

[Ellie]

I echo Lesley's words ..its nice to hear something good for a change & hope your wife is okay now..
When we lived out there (Lagoa), I always found the local Farmacia very helpful......
at one time I got heat stroke (I did a gardening job) and the local chemist was so helpful. They gave me tablets and some cream (I had heat blisters under my breasts) and the cream was marvellous..I had to stay out of the sun for a week & rest.
When on hols in Carvoeiro I go to Dr Vieira..he was very good to me(tel: 282 350 780)..at one time I had gastro enteritis & the medicine was spot on

[Lesley Jean]

Last time we were out we got 'stuck' because of the ash and ended up staying an extra 9 days (not that we minded at all as we have a house there and enjoyed the extra enforced time there) but my OH is on quiet a few different medications as altho' I took enough for a few extra days - just in case - I didn't expect it to be 9 days!
The pharmacy in Carvoeiro was so helpful, I took all the boxes with me and he was able to give me full boxes of all his meds without having to go and see a doctor first to get a prescription, he said that because of the situation he was very happy to help us out.
The whole lot, plus a large box of paracetamol came to just over €20 which I was amazed at......
It really is nice to have such positive things happen when everyone is bemoaning Cvo for lack of trade, high prices and anything else they can think of to have a good moan about.

[maccasa]

Always had excellent service from the pharmacy in CVO and Lagoa - and the lagoa Health centre is excellent.
I love the way they ask you if you have your "blue card" so you get the medicines cheaper