Urgent advice required
Discussion
Ladies and Gents
this is a little off topic but I hope you'll bear with me...
My son is currently lying in a Hospital bed in Slovakia with a broken back because UK Hospitals refuse to admit him ....
The insurance company have transport and a plane ready to fly him home but we can't find a hospital. Ideally we would like him o be in the Nottingham area but will go anywhere if it means bringing him home.. .. Surely this isn't right.
As you can probably appreciate his mother and I are tired and distraught after having worked hard all week to get him home (we've been out there to support him).
I know there's a great depth and breadth of experience on this forum so If you have any suggestions or advice on how to influence people in these scenarios please could you PM me..
The only thing I an think of is the media... but I really don't want to do that, but will if I have to.. We're all at the end of our tether...
Thanks for your support
Richard
this is a little off topic but I hope you'll bear with me...
My son is currently lying in a Hospital bed in Slovakia with a broken back because UK Hospitals refuse to admit him ....
The insurance company have transport and a plane ready to fly him home but we can't find a hospital. Ideally we would like him o be in the Nottingham area but will go anywhere if it means bringing him home.. .. Surely this isn't right.
As you can probably appreciate his mother and I are tired and distraught after having worked hard all week to get him home (we've been out there to support him).
I know there's a great depth and breadth of experience on this forum so If you have any suggestions or advice on how to influence people in these scenarios please could you PM me..
The only thing I an think of is the media... but I really don't want to do that, but will if I have to.. We're all at the end of our tether...
Thanks for your support
Richard
Richard, simply can't imagine how difficult things are at the moment and I wish you and you family all the best.
On what grounds are UK hospitals not admitting your son? If it's medical grounds, ie they don't think he should be moved, then seek a second opinion. Otherwise, I can see no reason. I assume we are talking NHS rather than private health care (rather obviously, but you never know). I'd be inclined to talk to the insurance company to see if, given the NHS will not admit your son, a private hospital could be paid for. Unlikely, but you'd have to give it a go.
Sorry to be of no use and sincerely hope it sorts itself out soon.
On what grounds are UK hospitals not admitting your son? If it's medical grounds, ie they don't think he should be moved, then seek a second opinion. Otherwise, I can see no reason. I assume we are talking NHS rather than private health care (rather obviously, but you never know). I'd be inclined to talk to the insurance company to see if, given the NHS will not admit your son, a private hospital could be paid for. Unlikely, but you'd have to give it a go.
Sorry to be of no use and sincerely hope it sorts itself out soon.
Surley if your son is a uk citizen , I would have thought all you had to do was to fly him to Nottingham ....call an ambulance , and get him to the nearest hospital.....I find it utterly disgusting that you even have to ask about repatriation....enough health tourists who seem to have no problem finding HHS beds....
I wish you and your family all the best.....my thoughts are with you
I wish you and your family all the best.....my thoughts are with you
There are no beds...
Yes its NHS... I don't have private health cover.. never needed it before.. but kicking myself now...
The insurance company will transport him to a private hospital if I pay, but I can't get in touch with a private hospital at the weekend as the ones I've looked at can't be contacted until Monday...
I can't believe the insurance company would arrange transport but not be able to place him anywhere.. This is just the last issue in a very long list of challenges we've had this week.
I suggested just rocking up at A&E, but then we're in to the 'who's responsible' game....
Its just a nightmare....
Yes its NHS... I don't have private health cover.. never needed it before.. but kicking myself now...
The insurance company will transport him to a private hospital if I pay, but I can't get in touch with a private hospital at the weekend as the ones I've looked at can't be contacted until Monday...
I can't believe the insurance company would arrange transport but not be able to place him anywhere.. This is just the last issue in a very long list of challenges we've had this week.
I suggested just rocking up at A&E, but then we're in to the 'who's responsible' game....
Its just a nightmare....
Detail missing here, but on what grounds can an NHS hospital refuse treatment to a UK citizen in the UK?
If he was brought back here and presented at a hospital, how can they refuse him? I smell the influence of targets and budgets here.
I'm wondering if possible to fly him back, have a private ambulance ( if NHS ambulance refuse) take him to A&E and he will be admitted. Once here they have a duty of care, and maybe a bolshy approach is required?
All of this assuming it is medically safe to move him of course.
Best of luck, awful to read this.
If he was brought back here and presented at a hospital, how can they refuse him? I smell the influence of targets and budgets here.
I'm wondering if possible to fly him back, have a private ambulance ( if NHS ambulance refuse) take him to A&E and he will be admitted. Once here they have a duty of care, and maybe a bolshy approach is required?
All of this assuming it is medically safe to move him of course.
Best of luck, awful to read this.
Clearly understand your anguish; I know from personal experience how it can be.
I guess you know your nearest spinal injuries unit is at Notts University Hospital.
I can only assume it is getting somebody in a position to authorise the admission.
If all else fails you could contact the Daily Telegraph desk and explain the position and see if they can help or the BBC.
All the very best of luck..
I guess you know your nearest spinal injuries unit is at Notts University Hospital.
I can only assume it is getting somebody in a position to authorise the admission.
If all else fails you could contact the Daily Telegraph desk and explain the position and see if they can help or the BBC.
All the very best of luck..
You can arrange admissions to private hospitals at the weekend, call them and it usually diverts to the senior nursing staff who will arrange it (or at least that's what happens in stafford)
That said, you want/need specialist treatment and for spinal injuries you may be better with a good specialist nhs hospital
I hope things work out quickly
That said, you want/need specialist treatment and for spinal injuries you may be better with a good specialist nhs hospital
I hope things work out quickly
Thanks everyone for your kind words and suggestions... I Live in Chester (the Ex lives in Nottingham), and I've just been speaking to the Chester clinical site coordinator and he is at least trying to help, so fingers crossed.. Next step is the UK embassy in Slovakia and then the media...
Hopefully some good news soon...
Hopefully some good news soon...
Nothing constructive to add except to feel your pain. Had my brother in a coma for a month when he was on holiday in Spain. My sister in law and my parents were with him. Insurance company flew him back to an NHS hospital. It would have broken everyone if we had to find a UK hospital for him as well.
Can only wish you all the best.
Can only wish you all the best.
Very sorry to hear this. Not quite the same but I had a friend who had a very bad leg break whilst on holiday with us in the alps. Having been stuck in a very poor Italian hospital for a week and the insurance company refusing to fly her back I booked a private ambulance to Geneva and the with Easy jet and three seats booked together got her back to the UK. We then went straight to an NHS hospital who admitted her straight away. Not the same circumstances I know but the point being if you turn up they will treat you. If it was me I would find out the best spinal hospital in the UK and get the insurance company to fly your son to the nearest airport and get him the best care available. Further to this in the past I flew Medi Vac and I remember patients being flown back to UK hospitals for treatment from various hospitals around the world. Get him back and get him the care he needs. Good luck and best wishes Darren
Edited by bentley01 on Saturday 15th February 20:21
So sorry to hear the news and I really hope you get a positive result very soon, I can only suggest contacting your GP, as they tend to have good hospital contacts and can at least cut through the red tape and factor things on a personal level for you. All the best, fingers crossed your son is back in the UK and ok very soon.
Still no clearer on when my son will be repatriated. But I'm back on the case this morning.
But every cloud has a silver lining, the surgeon who performed the primary operation visited my son earlier. He gave us much more information. In his opinion the spine is now stable enough to move around and this morning my son sat up with his legs over the side of the bed.
This afternoon he should be able to walk short distances unaided.
This is obviously wonderful news, it will also help convince the uk medical profession that he's not 'unstable' and well enough to travel and doesn't need a specialist spinal bed.
Thanks again to you all for your support and words of comfort... It really helps
Richard.
But every cloud has a silver lining, the surgeon who performed the primary operation visited my son earlier. He gave us much more information. In his opinion the spine is now stable enough to move around and this morning my son sat up with his legs over the side of the bed.
This afternoon he should be able to walk short distances unaided.
This is obviously wonderful news, it will also help convince the uk medical profession that he's not 'unstable' and well enough to travel and doesn't need a specialist spinal bed.
Thanks again to you all for your support and words of comfort... It really helps
Richard.
Not really a help in your case, but I also broke my back many years ago and was treated at Nottingham. After spending many weeks in an attractive metal corset, the only time I ever cross-dressed I might add, I made a full recovery with no side effects of any kind.
That was with the technology in 1979 so at least your son has an excellent chance at a 100% recovery, wherever he is treated.
Could the reason he is not being transferred be because he is already under treatment and they feel it is just for convenience he is moved to the UK?
Croatia are an EU country so they may not see any medical reason to move him.
That was with the technology in 1979 so at least your son has an excellent chance at a 100% recovery, wherever he is treated.
Could the reason he is not being transferred be because he is already under treatment and they feel it is just for convenience he is moved to the UK?
Croatia are an EU country so they may not see any medical reason to move him.
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