The groaning from the naked elderly woman in the bed next to me was coming in
rasping bursts. I was unable to move and in agonising pain but she was
clearly dying. The one doctor in the admissions ward of the hospital had
been called out to assist an ambulance crew with an emergency some distance
away and nobody else came to tend to her for a very long time.
Was this Bangladesh, Albania or even Luton?
No, it was France, a country we are told has a well-funded, state-of-the-art
health service.
But while it has skilfully marketed healthcare tourism to Brits seeking
cheaper and quicker access to hip replacements, cataract surgery and even
heart bypasses, the luxury treatment packages conceal a very different
reality for the run-of-the-mill medical emergency like me.
Hospitals are being shut to save money; bed numbers are being cut in those
that remain; waiting for treatment is common, even when you have a booked
appointment; and given the famous French “pudeur”, there is an extraordinary
lack of concern for patients’ privacy and dignity.
I was rushed into hospital in the middle of the night with a suspected
life-threatening blood clot in my right leg. I was warned that it could move
to my lungs at any moment, cutting off the supply of oxygenated blood within
seconds, causing rapid death.
The pain was excruciating – as if car battery acid were being infused into my
veins. The leg was paralysed, and the merest touch caused me to scream with
pain.
The ambulance arrived at my remote home with impressive speed, however, and
quickly rattled off on the 12-mile journey to hospital. While I swore at
every rut and turn, the ambulanceman chatted as if we were on a church
outing. Was there a rural ambulance service in England, he asked. I told him
there was, but that the French health service was generally considered
superior.
It is not. I have spent more than a decade covering health issues for this
newspaper. I have been in hundreds of hospitals around the world, and
interviewed numerous enthusiastic British patients tucking into red wine and
steak and chips as they recover from planned surgery in splendid privacy at
immaculate French hospitals.
But when I was taken into the state-run hospital at Vire in the western
Normandy département of Calvados, not far from Mont St Michel, two weeks
ago, I did not realise that there was no vacancy among the 630 beds shared
between the town’s private and public hospitals. Although I was being
treated, I nevertheless lay stuck to a narrow plastic trolley for some 17
hours as the sun blazed down outside, and the temperature climbed above 30C.
I put on a brave face as my family came to visit and quickly left, aware they
were in the way and invading the privacy of other stricken patients. I
learnt a great deal about the medical history and personal circumstances of
three patients who shared my narrow space during my hours on the trolley. I
also got an opportunity for close monitoring of their bedpan use, vomit and
other bodily effusions.
The sparrow-like naked woman was the last of them. As we lay alone together,
she wondered if they had forgotten us and apologetically begged me to help
her. I explained I couldn’t move but shouted for a nurse, realising she was
dying. The room was suddenly full of people. As they fought to save her she
not only lost control of all bodily functions, but was reduced to helpless
panic as she struggled vainly for breath. I should not have been there.
In a surreal moment, a healthcare assistant slid through the melee to admonish
me for refusing the offer of an evening meal. I persuaded staff to wheel me
into the cool peace of the corridor only by pointing out they would have
more space to treat my roommate. Minutes later the stench from the room
followed me out, as a binful of soiled bedding was unceremoniously dumped
next to my head.
I was finally wheeled off to the cardiology unit, where all patients have
private rooms. A week of intensive treatment, infusions, blood-thinning
drugs and tests followed. The treatment was fine, but all the nurses spoke
of the relentless pressure on beds.
French doctors have been denied the 35-hour working week offered to other
public sector workers. Hospital administrators told me that most of them do
48-50 hours – for about half the average £110,000 paid to their NHS
counterparts.
I was told that patients sometimes complained about the lack of privacy, but
with little effect. One nurse said that after the director of the hospital
was treated in a six-bed unit and had to perform his ablutions while the
other patients looked on, opaque screens were introduced between the beds,
but only in that unit.
“I’ve seen on television those curtains you have round beds in English
hospitals,” she said. “I don’t think it occurs to the managers here, and if
people complain about the lack of privacy for patients not in rooms by
themselves, the first objection is that doing anything will cost more money.”
I was discharged and sent for more investigations in other centres and
clinics. In the town’s other, privately run, hospital, I was kept waiting
for 90 minutes. Nobody apologised or explained. An MRI scan performed at a
stand-alone private diagnostic centre in another town finally detected a
rare abnormality of the joint lubricating fluid that in my case had caused a
slow-growing, nonmalignant tumour which had ruptured into my knee. I was
then referred to a rheumatologist and readmitted, this time to Caen
University hospital.
In Caen it was clear that the intention was to keep me over a second weekend
to prevent the bed being taken by a tiresome emergency case. Only when I
remonstrated was I told that the “unorthodox” decision would be taken to
puncture my knee and draw off the fluid causing the swelling, on a Friday
afternoon. The next day I was reluctantly released.
French voters go to the polls today to decide on their new president.
Healthcare provision was scarcely mentioned in the election campaigns of any
of the contenders – maybe because of a mistaken belief that it is not a
problem.
The system faces identical problems to the NHS, and ones that are threatening
healthcare provision across the developed world. The population is ageing,
and demand for hospital treatment in Vire is increasing at a rate of 5% a
year.
Ordinary French patients pay for their care with a mixture of state funding
and private insurance. For those without private insurance, treatment for
costly or rare conditions may be limited. There is not enough capacity in
the system because of the classic problem of “bed blocking” that is just as
familiar in Britain – old people who can’t be discharged from hospital
because intermediate care or convalescent homes no longer exist.
British people have been infected with the welcome American attitude to
competition and customer service. If something isn’t good enough, they
complain. In Europe and especially France, people still meekly put up with
being sold bad food and bad consumer products and services.
Despite France’s claim to one of the best healthcare services in the world,
the only appreciable difference with the NHS appeared to be cleanliness.
Instead of the mute mop-draggers, there were armies of cheery diligent
cleaners everywhere.
It is not too ridiculous to suggest that while French hospital managers could
certainly teach their NHS counterparts about managing a cleaning service,
healthcare managers here could teach them a thing or two about concepts of
consumer rights. It might help them to treat all their patients with a bit
more humanity.
Having had my grandson taken ill in France, once in Abbeville
and once in vendee, I have nothing but praise for the French
health service.
geoff taylor, lincoln, England
Are we prepared to divert the huge and necessary resources to care for an aging boomer population even though many feel not enough is being spent on health care now?
How could France cope? As more funds are spent on health and less in other areas, their rising need for medical employees could be met with those surplus workers. Yet the difficulty, both regulatory and political, French employers in declining sectors have in firing people might create a labour shortage in health care instead.
Peter B, Victoria, Canada
For what it's worth, my experience of French hospitals is totally opposite to the on described here, but I don't suppose it is enough to counter this highly sensationalised title, based on one person's experience in one hospital in France...
C Poggons, Aurillac, France
My wife and I have lived in France for 6 years and have nothing but high regard for the health service here. After falling downstairs my wife had to be taken to hospital to A&E - she was attened to without delay, by a Dr that spoke english. She received xrays without delay and treatment for 3 broken ribs. As soon as she left a treatment room it was cleaned and disinfected.
Both of us have been referred to specialsits for various problems and have never waited more than 5 days for an appointment.
Blood test results are received the following day.
Mammogram results are discussed as soon as the xray is developed - unlike the delay and emotional time in the UK.
We have english and french friends who have been hospitalzed - all receiving excellent treatment.
We pay for this service (into the social system) until the first of us reaches retirement age, it is expensive until then, but we think its worth every cent we pay!
Lois Rogers paints a totally wrong picture in her article.
John Wilton, St Georges des Sept Voies, France
I have lived outside of the UK for 20 years, I didn't leave because I was unhappy with Britain or it's people I just married someone from another Country. What I see happening now to my Country is appalling, what happened to the British way of life, what happened to the care and respect we have always shown each other, and WHY IS OUR GOVERNMENT PANDERING TO TERRORISTS, AND ALLOWING THEM TO COME TO OUR COUNTRY AND THEN ALLOW THEM TO DICTATE POLICY!! We are and always have been English speaking, if you come to Britain we expect that you will learn the language and abide by our laws , if you don't want to ...DON'T COME!!
True Brit
Barbara Miller, Tampa, FL, USA
£110,000..... where do I apply?
Dr Geraldine O'Hara, Oxford,
I and my family have used the NHS on many occasions and I struggle to understand why it is criticised by the media and public. When my son was born my wife and my son received excellent treatment. There are always improvements that can be made but we seem to have a tendency to criticise for the sake of criticism.
james, hove,
i am a young mum living in france and had my second child here in niort deux sevre. the care was excellent, my husband was allowed to stay for the full time i was in. we pay our top up insurance at the lowest rate. the care my child got was also very good and the experiance was better than that of the one i had when i gave birth to my first child 3 years ago in uk.in uk i could get no care from over run maternity wards, here in france when i needed a midwife she was there quicker than i could press the button.. my father had a stroke after we had been here a year and again the care he has recieved is amazing, he has ongoing problems with dizzness and everytime he has a bad spll they do brain scans, heart scans, blood tests ect, it is so detailed even when they find nothing wrong.
on a few occasions i have taken a trip to a&e at night with the children there is no waiting room of such, seen straight away in a big private cubicle. for me 100 times better than uk even with the language.
emma parrack-graves, lezay deux sevre (79), france
What a shame that Blair and his Government have destroyed the NHS by its tampering and incompetence. If there are 2 things that I think that the Country/Government should concentrate their efforts on it is the NHS and Education. I think if they can get those back in proper shape then I think the Country will be a lot better. I think that one of main things that would help in schools is going back to old style Discipline ,i.e. must wear full school uniform, no mobile phones in school, free vitamins/Omega 3 every morning plus fruit to help their brains function, PE every other day at least and more discipline. THAT I think would cut bullying as well because I believe the lack of discipline is a major cause of that. Now Will the Government ever take such good suggestions ,or just let the rot continue ??. If only they took such steps then I think in long run it would save money and make for happier healthier children and adults.
alan, London, UK
“French hospitals are as sick as our own NHS. ” The headline on Lois Rogers diatribe concerning her unfortunate experience in a French emergency room encapsulates the mind of a journalist. She has a bad experience, ergo, all French hospitals are bad.
It is precisely this sort of media tosh that gives the NHS an undeservedly bad name. I have lived for many years on both sides of La Manche and have witnessed spectacularly good results from NHS hospitals, although this does not make for good copy, along with the occasional poor service, usually from an A and E, where there is difficulty in arranging for patients to have their crises on a scheduled basis.
My own experience with hospitals and emergency rooms in France has been outstanding. And I’m sure a great many of the expatriate Brits who come to make use of their services, would agree.
Somehow, I have a sneaking feeling that the French would have been delighted had Miss Rogers gone home for her treatment.
But it was nice to hear that
R. Bouchier, Angers, France
I live in Brittany France, and can vouch for the French health system, it may not be perfect, but in my experience which is gleaned from a recent serious accident I was treated well at Dinan Hospital. I had a folded lung, broken ribs, and torn lateral ligaments in my knee, which I have to say they drained as a matter of course, more than once. I had a brain scan, a ultrasound scan check for possible strokes, I was then released after 4 days and then re- admitted immediately because of complications. I was later sent to St Malo for a MRI on my knee. I had to wait 3 weeks for this appointment but the unit was brand new and I was seen within 15mins. Every appointment I had I was seen within 15-20mins ,But I once had an appointment at a private clinic and waited 90mins.
Whilst in hospital in Dinan I was in a room of my own and then a room with another person. there was a telephone in my bedside cabinet which was subsidised , my bill for the whole stay was around 6 euros.
Ed Chalkley, Corseul Brittany, France
The junior doctors in NHS earns around £30,000 for a 56 hours week. The consultants starts at £60,000. This is far less than the AVERAGE £110,000 that you quoted - perhaps you are talking about hospital managers?
UF, Birmingham,
My mother spent three months in Caen hospital after a stroke,this is were she "caught" clostridium difficile & staphyloccocus aureus which set back her recovery. She was fortunate enough to be sent to a special re-education unit in Aunay sur Odon wher she had the BEST care possible,they were wonderful!!
She worked hard at all the therapy & is now back in her own home.
Jackie, Eure et Loir, France
I can recall that some years ago a friend of mine,[ who has since died] was thrown out of his car during an accident on a French motorway, he was taken to a hospital, where he was left to die as the doctors decided it was not worth while to save him. His wife by now had heard of the accident and flew to the hospital and arranged for him to be transferred to England where he was put right. Not all French medical systems are OK.
victor, westclff on sea, uk
My brother had blood clot in his leg which moved to his lungs. The NHS failed to make a correct diagnosis and he died. Now maybe if he had lived in France...
eamonn young, oxford, uk
I sympathise. My experience in a top French teaching hospital resulted in my waking up in a bed full of blood as a consequence of massive over-medication. As it was night, it took several hours for a medically qualified person to arrive. I had been left in the charge of a nursing aide, who didn't have a clue, but who assured me that the sheets would be changed next morning.As for cleaning! The surly cleaners simply looked through the door and left , day after day. The food was quite good, though. And my condition was not treated successfully until I came back to London. My surgery in a London hospital was 1000% perfect; the bathroom was so clean that I could have held a dinner party there. And I was nostril-swabbed for MRSA on arrival.
deirdre, London, UK