Sexual health: online GP consultation
Informational content from Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera's site. This version is not documented as medically reviewed by him.
A practical guide to confidential online GP consultations about sexual health in the EU, EEA and Switzerland. Treatment is assessed individually.
You don't have to figure this out alone
Speak with a licensed, English-speaking doctor by video today — no waiting rooms, no language barrier, and an EU e-prescription when clinically appropriate.
Sexual health is one of the most common reasons people quietly delay seeing a doctor — and when you are an expat, digital nomad or tourist in Spain, doing it in a second language makes delaying even more tempting. It does not need to be. In 2026 you can discuss testing, contraception and treatment in English by video with a licensed GP, privately and without a waiting room.
- Sexual health concerns are common, treatable, and nothing to be embarrassed about.
- Emergency contraception is available in Spanish pharmacies; most other contraceptive and STI treatments are prescription-only.
- An online GP can assess you, arrange STI testing referrals and, where clinically appropriate following a genuine evaluation, issue an EU e-prescription.
- Severe pelvic or testicular pain, high fever, or pregnancy concerns with bleeding need in-person urgent care — not a routine video call.
- No prescription or outcome is ever guaranteed; the clinical assessment decides.
Why this matters
Sexual health covers more than infections: contraception, planned pregnancy, menstrual concerns and questions about symptoms that feel too private to Google calmly. Left unaddressed, treatable infections can progress and cause real complications — which is why timely, judgment-free assessment matters more than the format of the appointment.
The struggle: raising an intimate topic in a foreign system
The imagined route usually involves a crowded clinic, registration paperwork in Spanish, and describing an intimate symptom to a stranger through a language barrier. Many people simply wait and hope. Waiting is the one strategy that reliably makes sexual-health problems worse.
There is a calmer way to start: a one-to-one video consultation, in English, from your own room.
What an online consultation can cover
- Contraception review — starting, switching or continuing a method; what pharmacies sell without a prescription and what needs one.
- STI concerns — symptom assessment, which tests are appropriate, and referrals to labs for swabs or bloods where needed. Treatment, when indicated, is prescribed only after evaluation.
- Urinary and genital symptoms — discharge, pain, irritation: common, usually benign, and worth assessing rather than guessing.
- Preventive advice — vaccination questions, safer-sex guidance, and travel-specific concerns.
Emergency contraception (ulipristal acetate, sold as ellaOne and equivalents) can be bought directly in Spanish pharmacies without a prescription and works best taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex. Everything beyond it — most oral contraceptives, STI treatments, and other prescription medicines — requires a doctor's assessment.
How the consultation works
- Book a video slot — typically available within 24 hours. Total privacy; use headphones.
- Honest history. Have dates, symptoms and current medications ready. Exactness matters more than politeness here — doctors assess facts, not stories.
- Testing decisions. If testing is appropriate, the GP explains which tests, where to get them locally, and how results will be reviewed.
- Treatment, where indicated. If a prescription medicine is clinically appropriate and safe for you, an official Spanish e-prescription is issued — valid across the EEA and redeemable at Spanish pharmacies. Never automatic; always assessment-based.
- Follow-up. Results review and partner-notification guidance can be handled in a follow-up consultation.
What video care cannot do
- It cannot replace in-person examination, ultrasounds or lab samples when they are genuinely needed.
- It cannot guarantee a prescription, a negative result, or any outcome.
- It does not manage pregnancy complications — those need in-person maternity or emergency care.
When to seek urgent care instead
Go to an emergency department or call 112 in Spain if you have:
- Severe, sudden pelvic or testicular pain — these can be emergencies (torsion, serious infection).
- High fever with lower abdominal or flank pain.
- Heavy bleeding during a known or possible pregnancy.
- Difficulty urinating completely, or vomiting with severe pain.
Everything else can start with a scheduled consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get emergency contraception without a prescription in Spain?
Yes. Ulipristal (ellaOne and equivalents) is sold directly in Spanish pharmacies without a prescription. It works best the sooner it is taken.
Can an online GP treat an STI?
A licensed GP can assess your symptoms and, where clinically appropriate following a genuine evaluation, prescribe treatment and arrange testing. Some infections also require lab confirmation, which the GP can arrange.
Is the consultation confidential?
Yes. Consultations are one-to-one video calls under Spanish medical confidentiality and GDPR data-protection law.
Can I get my regular contraceptive pill refilled?
Often, yes. The GP reviews your current method, blood pressure and history, and issues an e-prescription where clinically appropriate — never as an automatic renewal.
Do you test for STIs?
The GP cannot take samples by video, but can determine which tests you need and refer you to a lab in Spain; results are then reviewed with you in a follow-up.
How quickly can I be seen?
Appointments are typically available within 24 hours.
One last thing
Sexual-health questions resolve fastest when they are asked early and asked plainly. Verdict: treat this like any other medical topic — one calm assessment in your own language beats weeks of quiet worry.
This page is informational and is not a substitute for medical advice. In an emergency in Spain, call 112.