anonimouse

Anybody have any stories to tell about Spanish Hospital stays?

I have, absolutely 5 star 1st class, even ate bloody steak, 3 meals a day and afternoon tea and biscuits, just out after a month inside stuck in bed. 5 stars from me

Oh and the treatments Brilliant too.

maisymay

Hola, My hubby went into Hospital 2 weeks after we came over to live. It was great! He was gven a full m.o.t plus body scan. The rooms were all en-suite and only 2 beds to a room. Couldn't visit all the time but he was well looked after by his room-mates family.No spanish from him no english from them. His room-mates famliy would come any time sometimes 14 at a time. They would bring food and wine and have a good party together including my hubby. Excellent!!! He enjoyed it all so much he went back twice again!!!
Better treatment than in U.K. and sooooooooooooo clean.

anonimouse

Sounds so familiar to me, spot on.

The most My roommate had at one time was 18 lol. One member is allowed to sleep over all night too.

cricketman

My OH recently gave birth at the CDS hospital, near Marbella

10 out of 10 for me. Best thing was the people who worked there, very professional and caring. And everything very clean. The waiting rooms were a bit crowded because Sep is the busiest time of year for births and apparently they had ran out of blood pressure checkers because of the budget cuts but we were very impressed and grateful

Our neighbour in our room also had 16 visitors when our baby was just 3 hours old, but it was very joyful and just added to the occasion.

The other mums and dads with new babies were very friendly and the food was great. We're pleased because we deliberately didnt want to go private because they are a bit trigger happy with the scalpel.

evamar

My husband has had 3 knee operations in the UK. Terrible. He went there first thing in the morning, stayed in a corridor with many people separated by curtains, we almost couldn't understand the surgeons and he was thrown out as soon as he woke up and had a toast and a cuppa, midday. In one operation they did something wrong and another one was needed to try to fix what the surgeon did to him, he still has a funny walk (not as funny as John Cleese though!).

I had my 4 wisdom teeth removed in Spain before going to the UK, with general anaesthesia, and with the SS (Seguridad Social). I went to my private en suite room where I changed and my parents waited in the room, I went to the theatre and later awoke with a nurse by my side checking on me before going back to my room on a wheel chair to recover. The nurse told my mother what was needed, and my mother was there for all my needs (drink, toilet, food), kept me awoken for some hours as requested, and I left at the end of the day only because I was well enough; they said that I could spend the night if I felt bad or too tired.

Since then my brother has had a couple operations also in the SS, nothing serious, and it was more or less the same: once with a private room, the other one with a double one with another patient. Family and friends can visit the patient so that they can take care of all basic things. He had to spend 3 days at Hospital in the last one and my mum stayed with him at nights as he was between girlfriends at the timem but even so she would have stayed anyway Good food too.

To be honest, we might have long queues but I think that Spanish SS is far far far far far better than British NHS. For how long? I don't think we'll be able to keep it for too long. Also a problem is the huge amount of foreigners coming here on "health tourism"!

jackytoo

Well congratulations...you kept that quiet Our Grandson was born there. Nice room to herself, balcony with sea views. Presented with a starter pack when she left. Most of the spanish I know wouldn't dream of going there, they all go to a private clinic in málaga (Their equivalent of the portland in London)probably because they are too posh to push

Dual nationality is a great advantage

cricketman

I like to think my OH is too posh to be cut open. Cessarians are so last decade you know

Yes I know that private hospitals are a status symbol, but thats all they are and we have nothing to prove

sonnyc

Are these private or Spanish national health hospitals?? Have been told there is quite a difference.

adra04778

The difference being that Spanish health care is not free for all, and it is in the UK, i imagine if the same amount of people paid in the uk, then it would be a better service, i for one have no complaints re: uk. Its sad that we give all and sundry equal care regardless of paying into the system or not
the Uk also has a massive problem with people arriving solely for health care and not just people from Europe.

cricketman

Yes the state hospitals, they are excellent.

As for Spanish healthcare not being free for all, well it is funded by social security payments just as it is in the UK. The difference being that if you do not pay social security and have the funds to do so, then you must pay for the treatment yourself

However this cop-out means that effectively over 99% of the population in Spain qualify for state health care. It just so happens that pre-pension expats who dont work happen to fall into that group

anonimouse

Although like private hospitals they are Spanish national health, even in Hungary the national health ones are far superior to them in the UK, I spent some time in one there last year too.

scampicat

My husband had an operation at a hospital in Granada and was in the hospital for twelve days. He had an ensuite room to himself. This is Spanish NHS, not private. I cannot praise them too highly. Excellent care and clean hospital, loads of food (enough for me too),friendly committed staff. And his room overlooked the Alhambra Palace.

jackytoo

I can't see anything positive about being ill in hospital and the next bed having 14+ visitors My friend was really ill and was in hospital for 3 weeks, her only complaint was about the noise.

Wouldn't happen at the CDS hospital though, they have tightened up after various thefts and incidents some years ago. There is a security office and they ask to see passes. They are a lot stricter. There is even someone on urgencias and they only allow one person in with the patient others are directed to the family room. Last time I was in urgencias security was called twice. A couple lit up cigarettes and refused to put them out and later a gyppo type who was under the influence of drink or drugs hit a Doctor.

bxpuser24710519

Substitute 'butcher' for 'barber' of Sevilla. My one and only visit to that particular hospital ever I hope ! The mess he made was sorted by private podoligist who could not hide his amazement at the mess made.

I too cannot think of much worse to add to a hospital stay than in a room with all the family and noise. All those added germs too.

Lynn R

The Comarcal Axarquia hospital in Velez-Malaga has also introduced restrictions on the number of visitors per patient, I read in the local paper that no more than 2 are allowed at any one time - don't know how strictly it is enforced, though, as being early retired I can't use the public health service.

I agree, if I was ill in hospital I would find it intolerable to have 14 or more people making a noise in the same room, however nice and friendly they might be.