Laurence Dollimore
A BRITISH tourist has issued advice to regular visitors to Spain after his wife had to wait nine days for an urgent operation.
Claire Wilde, 62, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was admitted to Malaga’s El Clinico hospital on December 18 after falling and breaking her femur thigh bone.
But despite being in severe pain, she had to wait for nine days before being operated on.
Her husband Gary Scott (pictured with Claire at hospital above) believes the time of year and consequent lack of staff was partly to blame, as well as the language barrier.
He told the Olive Press that they both have GHIC cards and multi-trip travel insurance from Admiral – advising anyone visiting the country to ensure they are covered.
He added: “If you, as a Brit live out here, then it’s a given, a no brainer, that you learn and know the language and know it well.
“As a tourist like my wife and I who regularly come to Spain, who have family here, yes, we too, should have a good knowledge of the language.
“My Spanish is around B1 on the CEFR rating, not good enough for the confines of a medical environment.”
He continued: “As a one off visitor. There are hospital interpreters, we actually saw three leading up to my wife’s operation. They are volunteers, they only come in during the week and don’t work bank holidays. They can translate for you, but they really don’t know the workings of a hospital.
“As they say there is no accounting, for experience. Two of my mother’s spanish friends were invaluable and came to the hospital on three separate occasions.
“If you know someone with experience that is the way to go in a very stressed and traumatic environment.
GHIC cards and medical travel insurance are also imperative.
“Finally, like any type of health system the world over, the problems are systemic, lack of funding, investment etc.
“I was told there were only three operating theatres and for a hospital that size. Personally, I think it is just inadequate. In my humble opinion there was also a lot of down time and lack of internal communication.
“My wife was wheeled down for post op x-rays. They’d already done them during the operation.”
