Disaster in Spain .. any help appreciated

I dont know where to start with this post , however counting on the many experts who advise on Eye of Spain . My sister in law (66) lost her husband 2 years ago as he died in Spain and was getting on with life in spain as a widow in  until one day at start of year she was badly injured in a bike accident and has been in Hospital for four months . She is now totally incapacitated fed from a tube and needs 24 hour care which she is getting from hospitalin Spain . Her family want her back in the UK but shes not fit to fly or even communicate with family who have been told she will be sent to re hab /physio for a period then must leave the care of the spanish health service. She has lived in Spain since 2010 and has spanish citizenship ( I think) but has no relatives in Spain and familly dont quite know what to do . She is unable to talk has very little movement is fed through a tube and seems to be wanting to end life . This is a terrible situation but can anyone give some advise which i can pass on.

Have you tried contacting the British consulate?

If she's been living in Spain since 2010 she won't have Spanish citizenship as you can only apply after 10 years of living here and passing the citizenship tests.

I would suggest the British consulate would be the first port of call.

Hello aliton

This is a sad situation that many of us could encounter. It is the risk you take in leaving your own country and family to reside in a foreign country. To try and resolve this situation the word ‘’INSURANCE’’ springs to mind.

Marie has already given you the obvious starting point ‘’The British Consulate’’ but don’t expect they will have a magic wand or throw a load of British taxpayers money at the situation.

It would appear your sister-in-law is classed as Spanish resident and benefiting from free Spanish state healthcare.

The options in my opinion are:-

1. She stays in Spain and lives out her life with whatever assistance she can get from the state.
2. A relative comes to Spain to help take care of her.
3. She is repatriated to the UK by private medics (air ambulance).

Thanks for the feedback . Yes I am going to try the British Consulate ( again ) as they didnt seem to be prepared to do anything when approached before .  It would be imposible for anyone other than a very qualified nursing staff to deal with the day to day medical needs. We would try to get her back to the UK by private medivac flight and I wonder if anyone knows of the rough estimated cost of doing this to Manchester from Costa del Sol.  ??

Hi Aliton.

This website will give you an idea of the costs of an Air Ambulance - 

www.iasmedical.com

Good Luck and I hope you are able to sort something out

If the patient is stable, fed by tube, bedridden, etc.....couldn't she be put in a bed in the back of a white van...for a fast drive back with two drivers...24 hours or so.....park in her family's drive.... dial 999? 

Hello aliton

What are you wanting or expecting the British Consulate to do?

Google defines Consular assistance is help and advice provided by the diplomatic agents of a country to citizens of that country who are living or traveling overseas. Such assistance may take the form of: provision of replacement travel documents. advice and support in the case of an accident, serious illness or death.

I expect the answer will be your relative is receiving satisfactory care in Spain under the reciprocal arrangements for healthcare. They may enquire for you why the patient is being moved and the answer sadly probably is that they can do nothing further to help her. In Britain the prognosis is likely to be the same.

If your relative to receiving the best the Spanish system can provide moving her back to Britain seems to be an unnecessary risk and is unlikely to benefit the patient which must be the only concern.

Alton.  Have you contacted DWP ?   

They pay around £3,000 p.a. for each person getting ‘free’ health care in Spain.  They may have a suggestion.  

Also try CAB. in U.K. (and maybe also the one in spain which is not connected with CAB UK).  

Call Age Concern/Care  and similar groups in U.K. and in spain, they may have come across similar situations before and have some answers