The EHIC worked for us today!

John Barrett

John Barrett

Joined
Jan 19, 2020
Posts
2,054
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17,280
Location
Hamble, Southampton.
Funster No
68,164
MH
Downsized to Bongo!
Exp
Since 2012
Jan was returning from the sanitation block this morning when her slipon shoes failed on a slope and she took a tumble, landing on her left wrist. After an hour things didn't look too good so I asked a neighbour, a retired A&E nurse, for some advice, and this resulted in me taking Jan to the local public hospital in Vilajoyosa. I notified the NW Building Soc. Helpline, and they lived up to my expectations. Public or private hospital, they would cover it.
We found the 'Urgencies' entrance, waited ten minutes to be inducted, flashed the EHIC and passport, and ten minutes later Jan was receiving her first Xray! Twenty minutes later Jan was seen by a young Doctor who told her that she had broken two bones in her wrist which would require manipulation under local and gas and air. Duly carried out, another Xray to check the result, and Jan is now in a full forearm plaster cast!
We were there for just two hours, magic service. and I can't help making some comparisons...
 
Sorry to read the above John and good wishes to your lady for a speedy recovery.
Nice to know one of our winter hideaway towns for this year has the credentials for looking after us if we take a wobble on our way home from the bar.
 
John Barrett said:
Jan was returning from the sanitation block this morning when her slipon shoes failed on a slope and she took a tumble, landing on her left wrist. After an hour things didn't look too good so I asked a neighbour, a retired A&E nurse, for some advice, and this resulted in me taking Jan to the local public hospital in Vilajoyosa. I notified the NW Building Soc. Helpline, and they lived up to my expectations. Public or private hospital, they would cover it.
We found the 'Urgencies' entrance, waited ten minutes to be inducted, flashed the EHIC and passport, and ten minutes later Jan was receiving her first Xray! Twenty minutes later Jan was seen by a young Doctor who told her that she had broken two bones in her wrist which would require manipulation under local and gas and air. Duly carried out, another Xray to check the result, and Jan is now in a full forearm plaster cast!
We were there for just two hours, magic service. and I can't help making some comparisons...
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+1 for the Spanish Health Service from 2020, its Air Ambulance, and 3 stents!

Steve

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We so far have never needed it. I hope if we ever do it works as it has for you. The very best wishes to your wife for her recovery.
Thank you very much for your positive post re the EHIC, GHIC.
 
John Barrett said:
Jan was returning from the sanitation block this morning when her slipon shoes failed on a slope and she took a tumble, landing on her left wrist. After an hour things didn't look too good so I asked a neighbour, a retired A&E nurse, for some advice, and this resulted in me taking Jan to the local public hospital in Vilajoyosa. I notified the NW Building Soc. Helpline, and they lived up to my expectations. Public or private hospital, they would cover it.
We found the 'Urgencies' entrance, waited ten minutes to be inducted, flashed the EHIC and passport, and ten minutes later Jan was receiving her first Xray! Twenty minutes later Jan was seen by a young Doctor who told her that she had broken two bones in her wrist which would require manipulation under local and gas and air. Duly carried out, another Xray to check the result, and Jan is now in a full forearm plaster cast!
We were there for just two hours, magic service. and I can't help making some comparisons...
Click to expand...
Glad to hear she is ok, as far as comparisons go , I spend yesterday 4 hours in hospital on A&E, at least 3 hours more then needed with my other half , dealt with 4 sets of people where 2 sets should have been sufficient, 2 out of 4 where not very competent or polite , 1 was ok, and the last one was extremely good at his job and very polite and invested a lot of his time to explain things properly, the NHS has some great people working for them but is heavily understaffed, they need much more hands on people and less managers and receptionists, anyone with experience in other countries can see that things could be done in a more efficient way, this is not the fault of nursing staff and doctors, but management in the NHS needs a complete revamp, starting from the top down ……..
 
Glad to hear Jan was treated so well & promptly using her EHIC card.
Everything is such a state of Turmoil & Confusion here in The UK, that was happening well before Covid reared its ugly head.
Example:
The Mrs, TinaL took a funny turn yesterday, I wasn't sure who to call if needed, The Local GP Surgery, 111 Triage service, then wait for a GP phone call hours later, or simply whack her in the car and take her to A&E.
I did all I could in being there for her until she improved, but all the time I was asking myself, should I have made that 999 call. Happy to report she is better today, but I have insisted that she gets herself checked out, especially with her medical history of TIA's, and now Parkinson's.
LES

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Well done and get well soon, just to clarify and stop others from worrying, you presented a GHIC not an EHIC, we here in Spain have an EHIC, but I was sure since the turn of the year UK residents were issued with a GHIC...a minor point I know, but this could lead to issues for future visitors to Europe if they offered the wrong card when assistance was needed. Have a great day.
 
jumar said:
Well done and get well soon, just to clarify and stop others from worrying, you presented a GHIC not an EHIC, we here in Spain have an EHIC, but I was sure since the turn of the year UK residents were issued with a GHIC...a minor point I know, but this could lead to issues for future visitors to Europe if they offered the wrong card when assistance was needed. Have a great day.
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The type of card makes no difference, it just confirms the holder is entitled to healthcare under the reciprocal agreement between the UK and host nation.

Existing EHICs are valid til their current expiry date and do exactly the same as a GHIC. Although a GHIC will also confirm eligibility to services in non-European nations as and when we agree them.

As always, take health insurance also when travelling are reciprocal healthcare agreements are not universal. They generally don’t cover non-urgent treatment, repatriation costs, or local service fees.
 
We don't have GHIC cards with us EHIC had run out applied for new one but never arrived before we left. Not a problem if taken ill when you go for treatment you can get an emergency number online you just need your NI number & NHS number.
 
Jan complete with sling, having a beer in Guadalest,high in the hillsaboveBeni.
20211002_125455.jpg

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jumar said:
Well done and get well soon, just to clarify and stop others from worrying, you presented a GHIC not an EHIC, we here in Spain have an EHIC, but I was sure since the turn of the year UK residents were issued with a GHIC...a minor point I know, but this could lead to issues for future visitors to Europe if they offered the wrong card when assistance was needed. Have a great day.
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A UK resident with an in date EHIC is fine. When they renew they will get a GHIC. You are right that 'Spanish resident expat state pensioners' get an EHIC. Janie 🙂
 
Clarky said:
With all the stories we hear about long delays in our A&E departments it makes you wonder if our sacred NHS is that wonderful.
Best wishes to Jan for a quick and comfortable recovery.

Richard.
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Cannot fault QE Hospital Kings Lynn.Following a Burst Blood Vessel in nose in and out in 2 1/2 hours after cauterising procedure.
 
jumar said:
Ouch, the smell of burning flesh is not nice, but in your nose....:oops:
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You can usually do it with silver nitrate on a long stick specially made for the job unless it’s really bad, it does sting a bit. I do remember using hot cautery though many moons ago when I did an ENT job at Musgrove Park Taunton and the smell would make grown men faint!

You can use silver nitrate sticks for cauterising all sorts of things.
 
John Barrett said:
Jan complete with sling, having a beer in Guadalest,high in the hillsaboveBeni.
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You are not meant to drink any form of alcohol for twelve months after a medical procedure.

You should drink it for her, then tell how well it tasted. 😁

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Another👍 for the GHiC. Had to take myself off to the Urgencies in Palamos yesterday, having put up with increasingly painful leg swelling and HOT inflammation for about three days. Perhaps, because of my cardiac history, I got the full and quick, triage. ECG, BP, chest x-ray, physical exam, blood tests. Given intravenous paracetamol and a diuretic, to help pee out some of the swelling. Eventually diagnosed with lower leg cellulitis (bacterial infection). Possibly insect bite caused. Put me on an antibiotic drip straightaway, then discharged me with prescriptions for paracetamol, more diuretic tablets and 10 days of mega strength antibiotic. All extremely smooth and reassuring. Hospital visit free of charge and prescribed medications less than €2! Spain so cheap for prescriptions!
So, it's a few days with feet up popping pills the size of small gobstoppers😎
I should mention that I do suffer from.some leg swelling in hot weather but this was horrendous. Pics show it after about 20% reduction in inflammation!IMG_20211025_125229859.jpg
 

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Thanks for the.hug Lenny HB . In reality, a good deal redder and inflamed than the pics show, but nothing like your incident last year. Btw, the problem started up.in Besalu. Good stop but ill fated. Put a stop to our foray up to La Seu d'Urgell and beyond. By the I'm sure this is properly.on.the mend, we'll have to be planning the trek back home, I fear.
 
tony_g said:
Thanks for the.hug Lenny HB . In reality, a good deal redder and inflamed than the pics show, but nothing like your incident last year. Btw, the problem started up.in Besalu. Good stop but ill fated. Put a stop to our foray up to La Seu d'Urgell and beyond. By the I'm sure this is properly.on.the mend, we'll have to be planning the trek back home, I fear.
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We only have just over 2 weeks of this trip left & will proobly spend a week heading slowly back.
 
Best wishes Jan. Glad you received such good and timely care. Just a wee tip. Take a little more water with it ;).

I passed our local A&E a few days back and the wait board said up to 10 hrs. and there was five ambulances queued.
 
Clarky said:
With all the stories we hear about long delays in our A&E departments it makes you wonder if our sacred NHS is that wonderful.
Best wishes to Jan for a quick and comfortable recovery.

Richard.
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That helps. Full over in UK High Street. Don't call ambulance, get into MH Drive to Spain get sorted. Yes tongue in cheek comment but what has gone wrong!
 
Tongue in cheek reply , it's all those foreigners coming over using our NHS and having lots of children plus drinking too much alcohol and fighting with knives.

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