For emergency assistance (Fire / Ambulance / Police): 112

You can find a family doctor or general practitioner ('arts' or 'huisarts'), or a dentist ('tandarts') from the local Yellow Pages listing, or online (try www.independer.nl/huisartsen). The local emergency number for a doctor is (010) 420 11 00 and the local emergency number for a dentist is (010) 455 21 55. Some doctors offer consultations over the phone ('preekuur'), and this is useful especially when you have a contagious condition (e.g. flu). The doctor can fax a prescription over to a pharmacy for you to go and collect the medication. To receive specialist treatment, it is the family doctor or general practitioner who refers you to one. In most cases, you will need a referral letter ('verwijsbriefje') before any specialist will attend to you.

Medication is bought from pharmacies ('apotheken') with a prescription from the doctor. For non-prescription medication, you can purchase them directly off the shelf at pharmacies, or drugstores or Etos. Health food stores (e.g. De Tuinen) sell alternative / herbal medications and other nutrition supplements.

The Rotterdam Public Health Service or GGD ('Gemeentelijke Gezondheidsdienst') is a good source of information about health care services in Rotterdam. The Rotterdam-Rijnmond office is located at Schiedamsedijk 95. The Rotterdam Public Health Service Line (Tel: (+31) (0)10 - 433 9966) operates from Mondays to Fridays (9am to 5pm) and they provide advice on health and health care services in Rotterdam. Their website has an English version. The Rotterdam Public Health Service offers travel vaccination at its GGD Travel Clinic ('Medisch Centrum Buitenland'), and has a department that offers advice for child care services in Rotterdam.

Hospitals ('ziekenhuis') are identifiable by the blue letter 'H' on a white background on signs. There are a number of hospitals in and around Rotterdam. The Erasmus MC-Sophia at Dr. Molewaterplein 60 is in Kralingen (Tel: 010 463 6363). The hospital specializes in pediatrics and child care ('kindergeneeskunde or kinderarts'), and also has a cardiology (cardioloog), dermatology, physiotherapy and urology (uroloog) departments, among others. The Havenziekenhuis (at Haringvliet 2) is a general hospital located in Rotterdam centrum. This hospital also specializes in tropical illnesses and has a travel clinic (Tel: 010 404 3300). Other hospitals in Rotterdam include the Oogziekenhuis (located at Sciedamse Vest 160, Tel: (010) 402 3456).

'Thuiszorg' is an agency that provides health services at home, and is useful for families with children under the age of four. Call the Thuiszorg office in Rotterdam at (010) 282 6000 to register. The Thuiszorg office will make arrangements for you to visit a children's clinic ('consultatiebureau') where vaccinations and other growth checks are carried out on a regular basis.