Being told you need a ‘serious’ surgery is never something you want to hear.
Just three months ago, I had an inner ear infection, which prompted my Spanish doctor to order an MRI ‘as a precaution.’
I was able to secure an appointment just seven days later, and the results came back within a few days.
Unfortunately, they discovered that what was essentially a non-malignant tumour, meaning I needed a complicated procedure known as a mastoidectomy.
I decided to find one of the best specialists in the country, Dr Paco Lopez Navas, in Sevilla, who I was able to have an appointment with just two weeks later.
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After an initial assessment, he was able to get me on the operating table within a few weeks.
From my first appointment to the surgery, which took place a week ago, the whole process happened in less than three months – something that would seem unbelievable in the UK.
The healthcare provided was incredible, from the nurses to all the doctors, I felt incredibly cared for and that I was in safe hands – and the surgery went perfectly.
Full disclosure: The operation was performed at a private hospital in Sevilla and I pay €50 per month for healthcare insurance under Sanitas.
I had a private room and ensuite bathroom and was served healthy meals, including cooked white fish.
So what is different about Spain’s healthcare system and what could Britain learn from it?
Spain provides universal coverage with public funding, but it’s decentralised, with each region or autonomous community (e.g. Catalonia, Valencia, Andalucia), in charge of their own healthcare services.
More importantly, the public system coexists with a private healthcare sector that many middle-class and wealthier citizens and residents use.
But the prices are pretty affordable, with plans starting from as low as €40 per month, depending on your age and other circumstances.
Despite spending less on healthcare per capita than the UK, the Spanish system has similar or better outcomes in life expectancy and waiting times.
Spain also has a higher number of doctors per capita than the UK, and focuses more on primary and preventative care – while its generally healthier diet and lifestyle helps.
But how could the UK copy Spain’s system?
Privatisation is a very dirty word when it comes to healthcare in the UK.
The NHS is, of course, incredible and respected around the world as one of the best universal healthcare providers on the planet.
But it is no secret that it has been under strain for some years due to funding and staffing issues.
Spain has managed to create a successful two-tier system that sees around one in four people use private insurance for faster access.
This has helped alleviate the pressures on the national health service, and has not at all led to its deterioration.
Unfortunately, suggesting a similar model in Britain could be seen as an attempt to ‘privatise the NHS’ via the backdoor.
But perhaps it’s time to consider a hybrid model where private care reduces strain on public services, but without full-on privatisation.
The UK could also decentralise some NHS functions to regions for more localised control, and spend more on preventative health and public health campaigns, as they do in Spain.
