You are not entitled to any NHS medical treatment when you live abroad unless you are receiving a state pension, you should notify your local doctors to remove you from their list and not use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC which replaced the E111 form) for medical treatment. We recommend that you contact your doctors for a copy of your medical records, which can be helpful for any medical treatment later here although they will be in English. It would be advisable to ask for a stock prescription of any regular medicines required, most brands are available here and many over the counter at the pharmacies.
If however you are unsure of your intention to stay in Lanzarote, you may not want to notify your doctors of your intentions at this point, you could use the EHIC for the first few months for emergency treatment, this is only really valid for holiday makers, not residents. You can get an EHIC online at www.dh.gov.uk/travellers.
Private medical insurance already existing in the UK will normally not cover you for a period longer than the initial 6 months, you may want to continue with this at first or purchase a new policy with local insurers once in Lanzarote.
Pensioners are entitled to free health care and should bring the E121 form available from the DSS in the UK; pensioners on early retirement (under the age of 60 for women and 65 for Men) need the E106 form. If you read the advice on the website above it does tell you that you can have up to 2.5 years medical cover if you are living but not working abroad by using the E106 form if you have paid into the National Insurance system. Unfortunately this is not the case here in Lanzarote except for a few special cases. The current problem is that the doctors will not take the E106 as proof of your entitlement for treatment and therefore will not register you to see a local doctor or specialist at the hospital.
More information on healthcare according to the British Consulate is available on their site http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/ search for health.
You are entitled to local healthcare once you are working with a contract or registered self employed with the Social Seguridad. You will be issued with a card and with this, and your residencia, empadronamiento certificates you can register at your local doctors. Do not expect them to speak English and take a translator with you if you are not fluent and need help to discuss any health problems.
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