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Healthcare
All legal workers in the Faroe Islands are automatically covered by the Faroese national health insurance system (Heilsutrygd).
The Faroe Islands have an extensive public healthcare system that offers free consultation and treatment at local doctors’ offices, emergency wards and public hospitals. Most examinations and treatments are free on the condition that you are registered in the National Civil Register (fólkayvirlitið). Dentist treatments are only partially covered by the national health insurance.
All legal workers in the Faroe Islands are automatically covered by the Faroese national health insurance system.
If you receive a Faroese salary, then you pay for the health insurance scheme through your taxes. If you are a legal resident in the Faroe Islands, but you don’t receive a Faroese salary (A-income), then you must pay the in-payment form you receive in the mail or in your digital mailbox (MínBoks).
Note, however, that your National Health Insurance does not come into force until six weeks after you register your move to the Faroe Islands.
Children are covered by the health insurance scheme through their mother or father until they reach the age of 18. Once a person turns 18 years old, they must pay their insurance independently through taxes or through the in-payment form.
The national health insurance does not cover the cost of health care services outside the Faroe Islands beside in Denmark and in the United Kingdom.
Denmark
Faroese citizens are entitled to health care in Denmark according to Executive Order no. 565 April 15th, 2015:
United kingdom
Residents of the Faroe Islands are in the case of illness entitled to urgent health care in the United Kingdom on the same basis as U.K. residents according to The Convention made in London August 27th 1959 between The Kingdom of Denmark and The United Kingdom:
If in doubt, please contact the Department of Health in London (UK):
The Faroese National Health Insurance does cover costs of health care services outside the Faroe Islands except in Denmark and the United Kingdom. We therefore strongly recommend Faroese residents to sign a private travel insurance before going abroad. If your insurance company is not based in the Faroe Islands, you must pay attention to whether they cover repatriation to the Faroe Islands.
Once you have registered with the municipal authorities and have received a p-number, you are included in the general Faroese health insurance scheme. The Faroese Social Security Office (Heilsutrygd) will send a letter to your registered address asking you to choose a general practitioner (GP) among the doctors available in the municipality. Heilsutrygd will automatically appoint a GP to you if you do not choose one yourself.
You should contact your GP in the case of illness, and if you need prescription medication, vaccinations, contraception and other regular healthcare services. If you need to be treated at an accident and emergency department (A&E) or receive hospital or specialist treatment, you will usually need a referral from your GP.
You will need to make an appointment before seeing your GP.
If you become ill or suffer an injury outside your own GP’s regular opening hours, you can call the out-of-hours medical service at 1870.
If you suffer an urgent or life-threatening illness or injury, you should call the national emergency services at 112.
If you need to be examined or treated at a hospital, you first need a referral from your own GP, a specialist doctor or from the out-of-hours medical service.
You will receive an appointment from the hospital, which will send information on where and when you need to come.
If you don’t speak Faroese, you are entitled to have a professional interpreter present or through the phone if the doctor deems this necessary for the consultation.
List and information on the three hospitals in the Faroe Islands (hmr.fo)
If patients require specialist examinations or treatment that are not provided in the Faroe Islands, they will be referred to treatment abroad. By law it is superintendents in the Faroese health services that are licenced to refer patients to treatment abroad when no such treatment is offered in the Faroe Islands.
The majority of Faroese patients, who receive treatment abroad, are sent to the National Hospital (Rigshospitalet) in Copenhagen. The national health insurance covers this cost.
If children are sent abroad, one parent or guardian (followers) will be offered to accompany them for free. If adults are sent abroad, partners or guardians are in some cases offered to accompany them for free. Additional family members or guardians may accompany patients at their own cost.
The ‘Patient Hotel Tórshavn’ in copenhagen
The ‘Patient Hotel Tórshavn’ in Copenhagen is situated close to the National Hospital (Rigshospitalet). Patients and relatives may stay at the hotel if the Faroese health service has referred the patient to treatment at the hospital in Copenhagen.
Guidance for patients
The Ministry of Health and the Interior has published an information leaflet for patients, who are sent abroad for examinations and treatments, and one for followers. They include answers to the most frequent questions asked by patients and relatives. You can find the information leaflets in the links below.
Prescription medicines are only available for purchase at pharmacies. A prescription from a doctor or dentist is required in order to purchase prescription medicines.
Over-the-counter medicines are available for purchase without a prescription at pharmacies and pharmacy outlets such as supermarkets or convenience stores.
Most pharmacies are open from 9 – 17.30 on weekdays and from 9.30 – 13 on Saturdays.
You can find the opening hours and the nearest pharmacy by clicking the link below:
If you are covered by the national health insurance (Heilsutrygd), it will automatically subsidise part of your cost for dental treatment as an adult.
You are free to choose any dentist that receives new patients. The dentist will ascribe your check-up appointments at regular intervals.
Children and adolescents under the age of 18 receive free dental treatment. Children will often receive regular check-ups through the public-school system.
Two dental services provide out-of-hours dental treatment for accidents or emergencies.
Emergency dental care for children up to 17 YEARS OLD: call +298 30 25 25 and follow the instructions. This service is free of charge but is only available to children.
Emergency dental care for adults: call +298 31 45 44.
Please note that emergency consultations for adults are much more expensive than dental care provided during regular opening hours.
Most of the online self-services are in Faroese, but you can always get help to fill out forms and online applications at your local citizen services centre or at your local library. You may also get help from a Faroese speaker. Remember to first activate your digital key (MínLykil) and digital mailbox (MínBoks).
You can always get help and information at your citizen services centre.
Tórshavn Citizen Service Centre (Snarskivan) is your point of entry to Tórshavn Municipality.
You can reach us by phone on +298 30 20 10 or by e-mail: torshavn@torshavn.fo.
You can also meet us in person next to the Town Hall:
Snarskivan
Vaglið 11
100 Tórshavn
View on Google Street View (new window)
OPENING HOURS
Monday – Thursday 9 – 16
Friday 9 – 15
Closed on public holidays
SERVICES
- Civil Registration Number (p-tal)
- Signing up for childcare
- Getting married
- Changing your address
- Residence certificate
- P-tal certificate
You can always ask for help and guidance at the Faroese Immigration Office in Tórshavn (Útlendingastovan). If you live outside of Tórshavn you can also contact your local municipality.
Útlendingastovan
Sigmundargøta 13
100 Tórshavn
Tel. +298 35 79 79
info@utlendingastovan.fo
Most of the online self-services are in Faroese, but you can always get help to fill out forms and online applications at your local citizen services centre or at your local library. You may also get help from a Faroese speaker. Remember to first activate your digital key (MínLykil) and digital mailbox (MínBoks).