Health Matters in Greece

British and other EU nationals are officially permitted to free medical care in Greece upon presentation of an E111 form, available from most post offices. "Free", however, means admittance only to the lowest grade of state hospital (known as a yenikó nosokomío ), and does not include nursing care, special tests or the cost of medication. If you need prolonged medical care, you should make use of private treatment, which is as expensive as anywhere in western Europe - this is where your travel insurance policy comes in handy. The US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have no formal healthcare agreements with Greece (other than allowing for free emergency trauma treatment).

There are no required inoculations for Greece, though it's wise to ensure that you are up to date on tetanus and polio. The water is safe pretty much everywhere, though you will come across shortages or brackish supplies on some of the drier and more remote islands. Bottled water is widely available if you're feeling cautious.

The main health problems experienced by visitors have to do with overexposure to the sun , and the odd nasty from the sea. To combat the former, don't spend too long in the sun, cover up limbs, wear a hat, and drink plenty of fluids in the hot months to avoid any danger of sunstroke ; remember that even hazy sun can burn. For sea-gear, goggles or a dive mask for swimming and footwear for walking over wet or rough rocks are useful.

For minor ailment it's enough to go to the local farmakío . Greek pharmacists are highly trained and dispense a number of medicines which elsewhere could only be prescribed by a doctor. In the larger towns and resorts there'll usually be one who speaks good English. Pharmacies are usually closed evenings and Saturday mornings, but all should have a monthly schedule (in both English and Greek) on their door showing the complete roster of night and weekend duty pharmacists in town.

You'll find English-speaking doctors in any of the bigger towns or resorts; the tourist police, hotel staff or even your consulate should be able to come up with some names if you have any difficulty. For an ambulance , phone 166. In emergencies - cuts, broken bones, etc - treatment is given free in state hospitals , though you will only get the most basic level of nursing care. Greek families routinely take in food and bedding for relatives, so as a tourist you'll be at a severe disadvantage. Somewhat better are the ordinary state-run outpatient clinics ( yiatría ) attached to most public hospitals and also found in rural locales. These operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so go early; usual hours are 8am to noon, though it's sometimes possible to get seen by someone between 1 and 5pm.