Spanish regularly factor in a visit to their doctor

SPANIARDS are amongst the Europeans who visit their doctors most regularly.

According to a comparative study of the health systems in EU countries published by the Ministry of Health, Spaniards visit a doctor on average 7.4 times per year.

That figure has fallen if it is compared to 2001 when the number of visits was 8.7 times a year.

Spain comes in fifth place with Belgium, with the ranking led by Luxembourg whose residents visit their GP an average 11.8 times a year.

Cyprus, Finland and Malta had the lowest figure with just two visits per year.

In terms of numbers of practising physicians, Spain is in seventh place with 3.8 physicians per 1,000 inhabitants, above the European average of 3.5 per 1,000.