Marbella: English Language Dental Directory
In Spain, Excel Performance Media is rolling out NuevaAndalucia.dental, based on manual curation rather than algorithms, to allow expats to find English-speaking dental practices across the region. Emphasis will be put on listing dentists who speak English, to service not only Marbella’s large British population, but also people coming into the region for the purposes of medical tourism. A beta version is currently available, and EPM intends to develop the product for Málaga, Alicante, and Valencia as well as Marbella.
Expats in Australia ‘Suffer From Loneliness’
A study led by Associate Professor Michelle Lim, outlined in the Daily Mail in August, found that more than 40% of Australians between 15 and 25 in Sydney are suffering from loneliness, and their expat cohorts are experiencing the same problem. Professor Lim used data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, in addition to community participation, to develop her conclusions. Lim has been calling for a national loneliness strategy and says that “creating more inclusive community events, improving access to social activities in universities and workplaces, and investing in youth mental health services” is at least part of the answer.
New Survey on Top-Ranked Retirement Destinations: Healthcare
International financial advisers Hoxton Wealth have produced their latest survey, the 2025 Worldwide Retirement and Emigration Destinations report, assessing countries on ten key factors for retirement, including cost of living, taxation, safety, lifestyle, and healthcare. Top of the list are the following:
- Ireland
- Portugal
- Cyprus (tied with Portugal)
France, Spain, Portugal, and Malta also feature for offering high-quality public healthcare, often accessible to UK pensioners via the S1 scheme, which covers healthcare costs administered through the NHS. The list also notes Thailand and Panama for offering excellent private healthcare at affordable prices.
Germany: Problems With E-Prescriptions
The recent switch to e-prescriptions has been ‘causing chaos,’ according to German pharmacists this summer. E-prescriptions became mandatory in 2024, and under the new system a patient can either present their health insurance card at the pharmacy, or use the e-prescription app (E-Rezept App) to send their prescription to their chosen pharmacy.
However, the system has been subject to outages and disruptions which, so far, have caused problems for thousands of patients across the country. Head of the German pharmacists’ association, Thomas Preis, told the press:
“There is no alternative to digitising the healthcare system. But this unreliability is unacceptable. We need the greatest possible reliability in digital applications for electronic prescriptions”
Operating company Gematik has been asked to improve its systems.
1st Move: Latest Survey Reveals Top Country for Healthcare
1st Move International Removals have released their latest survey results, relating to the best countries for healthcare. Their research focused on factors such as medicine availability and cost, medical infrastructure, and government preparedness. Top of the list came Taiwan, with a score of 47.15 out of 100 on the Healthcare Index and an overall score of over 78%. Its infrastructure was rated at 87%.
South Korea came next in the survey with an overall rating of 77.7% and infrastructure at 79%. The country’s national healthcare system is open to expats after their initial six months.
Third came Australia, with an overall score of 74%. Expats can access the national system here too, but must pay a small Medicare levy.
The full results are as follows, in percentages:
- Taiwan – 78.72
- South Korea – 77.7
- Australia – 74.11
- Canada – 71.32
- Sweden – 70.73
- Ireland – 67.99
- Netherlands – 65.38
- Germany – 64.66
- Norway – 64.63
- Israel – 61.73
Germany: Calls for Patients to Pay a GP Fee
In August, BDA leader Steffen Kampeter called for patients in Germany to pay a fee for visiting their GP. This would be a return to an earlier policy running between 2004 and 2012, which was dismantled because it wasn’t sufficiently effective. Critics – unions and social organisations – have condemned Kampeter’s suggestion, saying that chronically ill people will be disproportionately impacted and low-income patients will be discouraged from attending their local practice. Anja Piel of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) called Kampeter’s suggestion a “crackpot populist idea designed to fill the silly season.”
India: Aim Is to Become Medical Device Repair Hub
The Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI) is supporting the Indian government’s Electronics Repair Services Outsourcing (ERSO) initiative. At present, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has suspended all imports of pre-owned or refurbished medical devices, applying to items such as second-hand imaging machines or diagnostic tools, until a formal regulatory framework is established.
Expats in Türkiye ‘Must Pay’
Expats in Türkiye will now have to pay to use the family doctor, according to a recent directive. This has been in force since July 2025, but many expats seem unaware of the new regulation, which requires patients to pay ₺3,000 (around $73) every six months to access their GP.
Kagan Orhan, writing for online webzine Today, told the press that patients have two main forms of payment:
- District Health Directorate: Submit the payment receipt and fill out a registration form directly at the local health directorate.
- Family Health Center: Complete the registration form at a family health center and submit it with the payment receipt. The center will then forward the documents to the relevant health directorate.