A BOWERHILL man hit national headlines recently after he was stranded in a Spanish hospital for 11 days as local NHS hospitals refused to take him.
Chris Carr, was left in a Spanish hospital bed after hospitals in Bath, Bristol and Swindon told his insurers, Aria Assistance, that they could not take him due to a lack of beds.
His situation led to his friends starting a social media campaign which caught the attention of national newspapers and television. The media frenzy led to Royal United Hospital agreeing to have Chris as a patient and he was returned back to the region by helicopter for treatment.
Chris, a former university IT worker, was visiting Benidorm as part of a four-month caravan trip with his wife, Sally, when he was rushed to a hospital with severe stomach pains. Spanish doctors found he was suffering from a diaphragmatic hernia which was causing a huge twist in his stomach, and said he needed an operation in the UK where he would get the necessary post-operative care.
But then local hospitals in the UK said they had no beds available for Chris to return for treatment. Following the media interest he was air-lifted by air ambulance from Benidorm to Bath where he had the treatment he needed.
Now back at home in Bowerhill Chris said, “It was very disappointing to hear that none of my local hospitals would initially take me on.
“Luckily the Spanish medical staff were great and they explained as best they could the situation. However, their English was not the best so it was a bit concerning. Whilst they could have treated me it was clear the aftercare would not be ideal and they recommended I was transferred to a UK hospital so I could get treated but also receive the best aftercare.
“I am fortunate that I have friends and family who are savvy enough and have the know-how to build a social media campaign and it took off. I don’t think I would have got a place at the RUH if it wasn’t for the reaction the campaign caused and I am thankful at the way things have worked out.
“I was in danger of becoming a health tourist because I would have been stuck in Spain for a while longer without the campaign and then I am sure I would have been transferred to any hospital in the UK that would take me and that could have been anywhere.
“There are many people in the position I was in and many with worse health, but I was lucky to have such a good group of friends who were able to share my story and get me back to the RUH.”