Hoi everyone!

I notice that this has been mentioned in another couple of threads, but I thought it would be helpful to give it its own thread.

Anyway, if anyone finds themselves a bit under the weather when their doctor's closed, or if they haven't yet got a doctor, or if they're just passing through Zurich, I can heartily recommend the Permanence clinic at the Hauptbahnhof. It's located just next to the main pharmacy that looks out on to the Bahnhofstrasse, and can be reached through the pharmacy, or via an outside door.

You just register with the receptionist when you arrive, fill in a form (in German), and take a ticket, and wait (and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait... if you're British you'll be used to this anyway). The doctors all seem to speak English (there were a few other English speaking patients there at the same time as me), and the service is bloody thorough (I got x-rays, a suck on an electric bong and everything!). They even do follow up appointments if necessary.

Having a regular doctor, I never thought I'd need such a service, but it's good to know it's there - especially on a Thursday evening when your own doctor's shut and the pharmacists refuse to serve you because you're too sick!

So, there you go. Permanence in Zurich HB. Recommended, but probably not cheap...

(BTW persons not resident in Switzerland must cough up the cash before they leave, so beware if you haven't got your papers yet)

There is one in Bern as well. City Notfall, works in the same way.

It is located where Hirschengraben meets Bubenbergplatz http://map.search.ch/3011-bern/hirsc...,kino,anzeigen, the entrance is near the Migros that is hidden here. City Notfall is open until 10pm weekdays.

Thank you very much for the information. Its good to know, especially as I have not got a GP yet (even though I have been living here for a year) and I am starting to feel a bit unwell . Looking forward to the wait, just like the good old NHS (National Health Service for the non-Brits)

Link here (English and German):

http://www.permanence.ch/

Sugus if you are going to be here longer term I suggest you register with a GP I only say this because it's always good if a doctor gets to know you, it can help with an all round diagnosis.
Here in Switzerland it's common for simple blood tests to be done there and then in the surgery and why wait in Que's when one could have a much better service. As with all aspects of human nature schedules can run a bit behind but then again I'd rather my doctor dropped everything for a real emergency, secure in the knowledge if it was me I'd be on the receiving end too.

As for the waiting time for non- Brits if you had to wait any longer than some of my family have had to wait, then you would have to be dead or a very interesting fossil.

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I heard that the British NHS is very good and offers many services...

I reccomend you check with your medical insurance team if Permanance is on their list else your Permanance bill might not be taken care by them.
It happened to a friend of mine and his Health insurance was from MEDICLAIM.
but then again this proberbly varies from one Insurance policy to the other

Mostly for emergencies I reccomend Tremlispital or Universpital.
For any other scenario take the extra effort of finding out wether you doctor bills will be paid by your Insurance

In my opinion the NHS is in general good, but the waiting times at the GP can me very long. If you need to see a specialist, it can take several months. This is especially crucial if you are diagnost with for example cancer and have to wait a couple of months before seeing a specialist or before having an operation. The cancer could easily spread in this period of time. Having said that, I have not got the knowledge to argue that the waiting lists are any better in other countries

I second this recommendation. You would not believe some of the gear and capabililties they have out back there, and I emerged feeling like Steve Austin. Waiting can be up to 90mins at peak times though...
dave

Three hours for me.

But worth the wait!

It does Danny, unfortunately it's a bit of post code roulette for certain treatments.

There's a similar service to the Permanance in Sihl City, although it's not 24/7. The clinic is on the 3rd floor, left-hand side when you come up. I've been there a couple of times, so has hubby, and we were both extremely pleasantly surprised by the service.
http://www.aerztezentrum-sihlcity.ch/

I have to sing the praises of the walk-in doctors surgery in the main train station (Permanence) in Zurich. I went there yesterday in the early morning feeling absolutely awful and, although I had to wait quite a while because it was busy, I was seen by a doctor, x-rayed and had a blood sample taken, all within two hours.

I am now being treated for bronchitis which, if I had left until Monday when my own doctor is open, would have got dangerously worse.

The staff were very pleasant and helpful and I was astounded at the range of stuff they could treat. I was there two years ago with a sprained thumb and they x-rayed me and even had a splint to fit me.

I would fully recommend it if you need to be seen by a doctor urgently.

Hope you get better soon.

Another walk-in practice "Medix" recently opened in Zurich:
http://www.notfall-stauffacher.ch/
They intend to mimic the "Permanance" at Zurich main station. The NZZ newspaper had an item on the new practice last week. NZZ sounded optimistic about Medix. No idea how good they really are.

Hi, just wanted to add to this thread. Im a tourist of this city, back to visit my partner in Zürich for Xmas and NYE and came across an infection. Thinking I could get away without travel insurance for a 3 week vacation, the bill was not too much (thank goodess). Only about 45 francs for a 15min visit. The wait for me was 2 hours at around 930am on a weekday. Would definitely go back to this place.

Hello,

Apologies if this was addressed somewhere, but I couldn't find anything in this part of the forum.

I was looking for a walk in clinic in Zurich, I don't have a family doctor, but have a problem I think should be addressed in the next couple of days. I've heard there was a walk in type clinic at the hauptbahnhof, but Google doesn't like me today and I haven't been able to come up with much. (Leo says the German phrase is Ambulanz or Ambulatorium, does anyone know that the difference is?).

It would be better if the doctors spoke English, but if need be I think I can describe in (poorly) in German, my main concern is going somewhere short of a hospital, but above the month or so I'll likely have to wait to get an appointment with a new doctor. Any tips or experiences are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in Advance.

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We actually don't keep track of that record... You need to call the European fecal standards and measuremments office in Zürich, their number is listed on thier website

There is indeed a walk in clinic at the Hauptbahnhof:

http://www.permanence.ch/

I've only been a handful of times, but each time the doctor, upon hearing my less than fluent German, immediately switched to English.

For reference the tags Doctor and Clinic were not originally associated with this thread, which is why I didn't find it.

Thanks for posting this!! I went in today and I was in and out in about an hour to hour and a half