You are quite right you should. I have not tried it yet but will be doing so in the next few weeks and will keep you posted.

If you have a Spanish medical card that allows you to free mediacl treatment like the UK NHS (Oh! what a laugh that is) you should get the same card as the Spanish get to cover them when they go to any other EU country and need medical help.

Ok I can report back

Handed over my social security card and within 5 minutes had my Tarjeta Sanitaria Europa.

Didn't know what it was called in spanish so asked for an "E uno once" and that did the trick.

Only problem was we qued in the wrong Social Security building first and then qued for an hour in the right one - oh but this is Spain.

Sorry to appear a bit thick, but what is a social security card, is it just a card with your number on?

If you are working in Spain you should be paying Social Security payments and will receive a card.

I believe (but not sure) that if you are past retirement age, you will also receive a card.

I havn't registered with a spanish docter yet but understand the social Security Card is necessary.

By the way, was informed at the start, that my paying social security covers my wife for medical cover also. We weren't told at the time that we neede to apply for my wifes card.
Duly filled in the forms and went along to the Social Security office with my card and our marriage certificate only to be told that they needed a translation of the marriage cert.
Not sure if this was true or they were just trying to clear the q at closing time - ended up getting a hestoria to deal with it to save wasting time.

Just to clear a few thing up.

1) You do not need a Social Security Card to registed with a doctor or obtain a Tarjeta Sanitaria

2) Any EU citizen if they have residency in an EU country can apply for the corrisponding medical card for that country

3) If you have residency in Spain you can to apply for your card at your local medical centre then once you have obtained that the you get the EU one from the SS office.

4) If you do not have residency then you must obtain your medical card from the UK including one that will cover you in the EU, remember there is NO E111 form now they will not be recognised as valid for medical cover.

5) If you do not have either or any of the above the you as advised to get private medical cover otherwise any treatment you might have here in Spain will cost you, and with the advent of the withdrawal of the E111 you will not be able to claim anything back of the UK health system

6) In Spain if you are working and have a SS card and medical card you will have to pay 40% towards any medication you get via a rescription untill you are 65 then it if FREE.