anyone have experience of Spanish hospitals?

[Walkerbean16]

we are on holiday at the moment, got 4 days left and my arse of a husband went out last night, got drunk and has hurt his ankle. he has been walking on it today but is very painful. i want to take him to a hospital but he is saying no (is terrified of needles )

has anyone ended up in hospital in Spain and know what we are likely to face (have 3 kids here too including a baby)

we have insurance but i forgot EHIC cards as have been habing a shit time at the mo.and completely forgot, will this affect things?

picture of ankle

Unfortunately those that I know in similar situation have had to pay upfront first with credit/bank cards.

FML! That's extraordinary!

I spent a week in hospital with DS when he fractured his femur in Mallorca. We didn't pay anything. It was all settled through our travel insurance a few weeks after we got home.

I have experience of a hospital in Tenerife. The treatment was fine but they were very keen on maximising the cost and we had to pay about £800 which insurance company eventually refunded. Be aware that if he was drunk the insurance company may not pay up.

Not great unfortunately. I know 3 people who've had sporting injuries and been x-rayed in a Spanish hospital and told everything is fine, just bruising only to be still in pain a week or two later so they went to hospital in the UK to be told they had broken bones that needed setting and in one case operating on.

I have no idea whether your DHs ankle is broken or just sprained, but has he tried RICE? (Rest, ice, compression, elevation)?

That's a good point, does he have travel insurance?

yes we have travel insurance. paid more for decent medical cover as I am pregnant.

I done exactly the same thing! Fell up a kerb drunk and ripped all the ligaments in my ankle. I was in Palma Majorca.

The hospital were really good! Didn't pay anything just showed my passport and medical insurance when I arrived. They don't give out crutches though you have to buy them from a pharmacy.

The insurers were really good to9, they booked me extra seats on the plane so I had a row to myself and could keep my leg up. If you speak to security on your way home too they drive you through a back bit of the airport straight to the place and the security check you separately to save him standing around on it.

Good luck!

Where in Spain?
If a tourist spot it’s usually fine-they will speak good English.
If you are in a lesser known area you may have a language issue.
With insurance either way I’d definitely go, the care is usually a zillion times better than NHS. Just don’t mention he was drunk-he is presumably sober now so no need to say that.
DH lived in Spain, so did my extended family, Uncle had a transplant there. I have no issue with their standards based on that.

I had a very similar injury whilst in Spain and was treated brilliantly by the medics. Ended up in plaster for a twisted ankle for 6 weeks and transported home on the insurance.
I don’t remember having to pay up front but I’m pretty sure I didn’t as wouldn’t have been able to.

Good luck OP.

great thanks everyone. should be able to pay upfront if necessary (and not tens of thousands!) just got to get him there first

we are in lloret de mar (booked it before reading all the bad reviews!!) but it's been ok so far! staying in a hotel with water park so kids are having a good time anyway!

Hospitals are generally brilliant here. If you have travel insurance then your lack of EHIC card shouldn’t be an issue, as it’ll just be private healthcare. He really ought to get that seen to, it looks dreadful.

I've read the insurance policy and we just need to call them and charge it to them, we just pay an excess. fingers crossed ot is just a sprain!

Re EHIC card, go online, there is a phone number for if you don't have the card physically with you.

Don't tell the insurance company about being drunk

Spanish hospitals are excellent in the main though it does vary from place to place, much as it does in the UK. As you have insurance it should pretty straightforward. Remember to take your passports and phone re EHIC details. I broke my foot whilst living there. The care was excellent and I didn't have to buy crutches they were supplied by the pharmacy but it may be different where you are.
Good luck, hope it hasn't completely ruined your holiday.

I thought insurance companies expected you to have/use the ehic cards, rather than charging them private fees. But I don't you've checked that and they don't that's great. I had to take dd to a Spanish hospital and they were great, got an interpreter for us and it was all good. Didn't have card with us and were able to send a picture of it from back at the hotel, though I did have to leave credit card details.

How did your Dh get on @Walkerbean16

he refused to go to the doctors and has spent all day hobbling and moaning about the pain