327
- Identity: the
building blocks of
2. Literature
and philosophy
3. Art and
architecture
4. Performing
arts
5. Cinema
and fashion
6. Media and
communications
7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
the details of
stretch should you lose your job.The amount received is
calculated against previous income and the longest anyone
can claim for is two years. Full state pensions can’t be claimed
unless you’ve worked for 15 years or more. Women draw
theirs at 60, men at 65. Like the unemployed, those who
stumped up more in the way of contributions while working
will get a larger pension. As Spain’s population gets older, so
the strain on state pensions grows. An overhaul of the system
may be required if the benefits structure is to cope in future.
Healthcare
The public health service, the Insalud, in
Spain is good. Care, facilities and waiting lists
can vary between regions, but generally the
standards are high, as confirmed by a placing
of seventh on the World Health Organisation
health service hit parade. Doctors are thick
on the ground and many actually have to leave Spain in order
to find work. Everyone (including foreign retirees resident in
Spain) is eligible for care. A GP can be found in the localcentro
de salud, while theurgenciasdepartment of hospitals deals
with emergencies. A private health service also operates for
those with sufficient means; at present about 15 per cent of
the population have private health insurance. Because the
state system is so good, private healthcare is often only used
to avoid the Insalud’s lengthy specialist care waiting lists.
For dentistry and eye care, everyone must pay.
