Everyone with a Faroese ID-number has access to services from the Faroese health care system.
For health emergencies - call 112. The emergency telephone number must be used only for emergency calls in case of serious injury or illness when immediate treatment is needed.
For medical assistance outside normal working hours - call 1870. The staff at the Medical Assistance Centre will provide advice over the telephone or ask the patient to come to a check-up at a hospital.
Emergency service is provided when necessary at the Acute department of the National Hospital.
For urgent dental service during weekends and bank holidays - call +298 314544 between 10 am and 11 am.
General medical treatment is provided by primary doctors - General Practitioners. Every new residence is assigned a General Practitioner by the National Health Insurance.
The General Practitioner is the first point of contact for any illness except for emergencies. He or she will direct patients to specialists when needed.
General Practitioners also provide statutory duties such as vaccinations and medical examinations of children and pregnant women.
Appointments must be made for consulting the General Practitioner. Telephone consultation for simple questions or prescriptions is open from 8 to 9 am.
Specialist health care services are available in hospitals or from practicing specialists. Seeing a specialist requires a referral from a General Practitioner.
For some specialist services a patient´s charge is claimed. The patient’s charge is paid directly to the specialist.
Dental care for adults is carried out by dentists in private practice. The National Health Insurance covers part of the cost for dental assistance.
Children up to the age of 18 are entitled to free public dental treatment. Children´s dental services are administrated by the municipalities.
Mental health service and physical therapy are available at private practices.
If a General Practitioner has reffered the patient to a psychologist or a physical therapist, the National Health Insurance will cover 40 percent of the cost.
The General Practitioner can refer patients to hospital treatment.
There are three hospitals in the Faroe Islands – in Tórshavn, Klaksvík and Suðuroy.
The National Hospital – Landssjúkrahúsið - in Tórshavn is the main hospital. Most illnesses and injuries can be managed at the National Hospital but in some cases it may be necessary to receive treatment abroad.
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Pregnancy check-ups are carried out by General Practitioners and by midwives. Ultrasound scans are available for free in the 18th week of pregnancy.
Childbirth takes place at the National Hospital in Tórshavn.
Children’s nurses examine the children in their home regularly up to the age of 18 months.
General Practitioners provide medical check-ups up to the age of 5 and vaccinations according to a vaccination programme.
School nurses provide regular medical check-ups and personal interviews as well as parental guidance and information.
Medicine is sold at pharmacies. Some medicines are freely available and for others a prescription from a doctor is needed. The national Health Insurance provides benefits for some medicines.
Pharmacies are located in Tórshavn, Klaksvík, Tvøroyri and Runavík. Furthermore, there are approximately 30 pharmacy outlets throughout the islands.
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Several associations provide guidance and assistance for people with special diseases or disabilities.
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The Secretariat for Handicap Associations (in Faroese) The Cancer Association(in Faroese) The Faroese Deaf Association (in Faroese and Danish) The Metabolism Assocation (in Faroese) The Alzheimer´s Association (in Faroese) The Faroese Association for the Blind (in Faroese) The Faroese Arthritis Association in Faroese) The Heart Association (in Faroese) The Sport Association for the Disabled (in Faroese) The Association for the Mentally Retarded (in Faroese) The Autistic Association (in Faroese) The Spastic Association (in Faroese) The Sclerosis Association (in Faroese) The Association for the Mentally Disabled (in Faroese) |