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Sun 9 Jul, 2006 01:30 am
From today's
The Observer (page 27)
Quote:Dark side of sunny Spain for Britain's elderly expatriates
Doctors are refusing to treat English patients without an interpreter
Jackie Stevens in Denia, Costa Blanca
It is a familiar sight in any British hospital. Older women in blue sashes staffing a makeshift charity stall in a busy corridor. But here in Denia hospital on Spain's Costa Blanca, the volunteers have no time to serve tea. The expat-run charity Help is indispensable, providing interpreting and sometimes nursing and aftercare for the growing number of British patients that pass through here.
Tens of thousands of British settlers pursuing a dream retirement in the sun have doubled the population in this area in the past two years - and put a growing strain on a creaking Spanish health service.
Now Spanish authorities say they are placing an unbearable burden on scant medical resources and are demanding that the UK pays for their care. And in a move likely to send a chill through the expat community, Spanish doctors - even those who speak English - are now refusing to treat anyone who cannot speak Spanish without an interpreter present.
[...] [...] [...]
Online version of that report
My word, Walter. Weren't the expats aware of the health care situation before they decided to relocate to Spain? That is a very sad commentary.
I think the rule for snowbirds is six months away from home territory before they lose their benefits.
Well, there's an EU-wide health insurance coverage, for every EU-citizen, valid until ... whatever is written on it (mine until 2010, I think).
But you must have that European Health Unsurance Card for it, of course! (Every Britain could get it from NHS ... if her/his insurance by them.
We get it automatically.)
The main problem, however, seems to be the language ... and that British expats know little to nothing about the country they stay in.
I cannot believe, Walter, that English speaking people who retire to another country would not learn some basic skills in that language, nor that they would not apprise themselves of the culture and social benefits.
Well, thanks for reporting this news. It is noteworthy, buddy.
Letty wrote:I cannot believe, Walter, that English speaking people who retire to another country would not learn some basic skills in that language, nor that they would not apprise themselves of the culture and social benefits.
I noticed such already about 20 years ago, on Lanzarote (Canary Islands) (exactly like described in the report: I even could order only in English in the restaurant/bar there!).
From the Guardian report:
Quote:
It's not unusual to deal with British people who have lived here over 20 years and complain about medical staff not speaking English. Because waiters and barmen speak English, they expect doctors too. ... 'We cover places like Calpe where the official population has almost doubled to 26,000 and the British out-number the Spanish. But the real population is closer to 50,000, and as most funding for public services is population-based, there's not enough doctors, fire engines, police, etc.'
People can have everything from their plumbing to their hairdressing done by Brits: they can watch British TV, they can live without having any contact with the state. Russell Thomson, a former British Consul, said this created a false sense of security. 'In the event of an emergency, these individuals can find themselves helpless. They don't know the language, they don't know the system, and only too late they find they have no medical cover.'
Well, Walter, I have to say this for the Spanish doctors here. Dr. Gonzales, who was Bud's cardiologist, spoke flawless English. When my sister went to Spain, she took classes at the local high school to learn the basics, and that was just for a simple tour.
I've spent a fair amount of time in Espana, I quickly learned the three most important words--por favor, banyo and gracias.
I had thought of moving to Italy at one point, with the intent of going back and forth to the US; I looked at real estate online sites for a while. I would have avoided any enclave situation (shudder), though I suppose you would run across and get to know nearby people who speak your language or are from your country.
At the same time, I know it is hard to be accepted into a community in another country - I say that as a generalization that doesn't always hold true. The least one should do, in my opinion, is learn the language, if only for practical reasons. Practicality aside, life would be much richer to not just make your new home a small version of "the Old Country".
I feel this way even in my own country. New Mexico is not California, and I am not recreating California by the petroglyphs, re the look of my house or the plants I plant. And once I unpack my books, I am going to keep my little Spanish grammar, 500 Spanish verbs, and Spanish vocabulary books handy; though most people around me so far speak English, it is a dual (or more) language city I've moved to.
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