Health care

All individuals residing in the Faroe Islands who have a Faroese ID number are automatically covered by the National Health Insurance.

The National Health Insurance covers general and specialized medical treatment and gives supplement to prescribed medicines, dental treatment and other specialized treatment, e.g. physiotherapy and psychotherapy.

Read more:

National Health Insurance (in Faroese)

Citizens of the Nordic countries and Great Britain staying in the Faroe Islands on a short term basis have the right to health care on the same terms as Faroese citizens if they become ill or injured.

Residents of other countries will need to acquire their own traveler's health insurance while staying on a short term basis in the Faroe Islands.

The health insurance regulation for EU countries does not apply to the Faroe Islands.

In the event of a medical emergency, please call the Emergency Services telephone number 112, or go directly to the Emergency Department at the hospital. The emergency telephone number must be used only for emergency calls in case of serious injury or illness when immediate treatment is needed.

For acute non-emergency referrals after normal working hours, please call the General Practitioners Service at the National Hospital telephone number 1870. The on-call physician will provide advice over the telephone or ask the patient to come to a check-up at a hospital.

For urgent dental service on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, call +298 314544 between 10 and 11 am.

General medical treatment is provided by primary doctors - General Practitioners. Every new resident 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.

The General Practitioners also provide statutory duties such as vaccinations and medical examinations of children and pregnant women.

Most General Practitioners have telephone consultation hour 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.

Dentists

Dental care for adults is carried out by dentists in private practice. The National Health Insurance covers part of the cost for dental care.

Children up to the age of 18 are entitled to free public dental treatment. Children´s dental services are administrated by the municipalities.

List of dentists   

Psychologists and Physiotherapists

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.

List of psychologists  

List of physiotherapists  

The General Practitioner can refer patients to hospital treatment.

There are three hospitals in the Faroe Islands – in Tórshavn, Klaksvík and Suðuroy. Most illnesses and injuries can be treated at the main hospital in Tórshavn or at a local hospital but in some cases it may be necessary to receive treatment abroad.

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National Hospital of the Faroe Islands  

Medicine is sold at pharmacies. Some medicines are freely available to buy 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.

Read more:

National Pharmacy Service