Family medical emergency. Help please

Family medical emergency. Help please

Author
Discussion

105.4

Original Poster:

4,083 posts

71 months

Friday 12th March 2021
quotequote all
My Father lives near Denia in southern Spain.

I received a phone call from his funeral providers yesterday asking me to get in touch with a charity that looks after ex-pats over there.

I was told by this charity that he had been in a coma for the past two weeks and that his situation was critical.

I haven’t had any joy getting any information out of the hospital staff in Denia, even with the help of a fluent Spanish speaking friend. All we get told is that due to Spanish data protection laws, unless my Father has given his express permission with a named individual, they can’t discuss his condition or prognosis with anyone, not even if he is deceased or alive. And considering that he is, we believe, in a coma, getting such written permission is unlikely.

Is there any way around this? Perhaps a Spanish version of a subject access request?

I’ve tried contacting my Fathers lawyer, but as he didn’t even know I existed or that my Father had any children, he was unwilling to divulge any information. The FCO consulate in Alicante hasn’t been any help, nor has the Spanish Embassy in London.

I’m rapidly approaching my wits end, meeting nothing but a chorus of “computer says no”, and I’m hoping one of you chaps may be able to offer some good advice?

In advance, many thanks.