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HEALTH

UK to send patients to France for surgery

Hospital patients in the south east of England could soon be travelling over the Channel to undergo surgery in northern France as part of a new deal with French authorities. Language will not be an issue says the French hospital in Calais.

UK to send patients to France for surgery
British patients could soon go under the knife in France. Photo: Shutterstock

Brits in the south east of England have for years popped over the English Channel to Calais to stock up on cheap booze and fags, but they could soon be coming to go under the knife.

A deal is being finalized with NHS Kent which would see patients travel to Calais to undergo surgery.

It has come about after the Centre Hospitalier de Calais made a bid to provide services to patients in the county that stands just 33 kilometres across the English Channel.

According to South Kent Coast Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the “finer details” of the deal are still being worked out.

Essentially patients who would normally have to wait longer to receive treatment in the UK can travel to France to make the most of spare capacity.

It would involve them paying for their own travel and costs, but then the NHS would cover the cost of the treatment in France.

Hazel Carpenter, from South Kent CCG told the BBC treatment in France would only be an option if patients requested it after a discussion with their doctor.

The prospect of patients Channel hopping for treatment has come about after the health authority in England invited organizations that could provide general surgery, gynaecology, cataract surgery, pain management and orthopaedics to apply.


(It's nearer to Calais from many parts of Kent than it is to London)

Two French providers threw their hat into the ring along with several from the UK.

“We carried out a careful assessment of the services they offer and are visiting sites,” said Carpenter.

“The two French providers, among others, fulfilled our criteria and we expect to finalize a contract with them.”

On the French side of the Channel, hospital chiefs in Calais hope to see the first UK patients make the crossing before Christmas and plan to treat between 300 and 400 NHS patients a year.

Martin Trelcat, general manager of the Calais hospital insisted language would not be a barrier and said language classes are being given to around 70 nurses.

Unions in the UK however have dismissed the scheme as a gimmick and claim it represents an “admission of failure” on the part of the NHS.

Damian Collins, an MP for Folkestone and Hythe in Kent said the idea was sensible, due to France being closer and more accessible than parts of London.

He described the hospital in Calais as fantastic.

SEE ALSO: Five reasons everyone should visit Calais

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HEALTH

Lengthy waiting times at Danish hospitals not going away yet: minister

Danish Minister for the Interior and Health Sophie Løhde has warned that, despite increasing activity at hospitals, it will be some time before current waiting lists are reduced.

Lengthy waiting times at Danish hospitals not going away yet: minister

The message comes as Løhde was set to meet with officials from regional health authorities on Wednesday to discuss the progress of an acute plan for the Danish health system, launched at the end of last year in an effort to reduce a backlog of waiting times which built up during the coronavirus crisis.

An agreement with regional health authorities on an “acute” spending plan to address the most serious challenges faced by the health services agreed in February, providing 2 billion kroner by the end of 2024.

READ ALSO: What exactly is wrong with the Danish health system?

The national organisation for the health authorities, Danske Regioner, said to newspaper Jyllands-Posten earlier this week that progress on clearing the waiting lists was ahead of schedule.

Some 245,300 operations were completed in the first quarter of this year, 10 percent more than in the same period in 2022 and over the agreed number.

Løhde said that the figures show measures from the acute plan are “beginning to work”.

“It’s positive but even though it suggests that the trend is going the right way, we’re far from our goal and it’s important to keep it up so that we get there,” she said.

“I certainly won’t be satisfied until waiting times are brought down,” she said.

“As long as we are in the process of doing postponed operations, we will unfortunately continue to see a further increase [in waiting times],” Løhde said.

“That’s why it’s crucial that we retain a high activity this year and in 2024,” she added.

Although the government set aside 2 billion kroner in total for the plan, the regional authorities expect the portion of that to be spent in 2023 to run out by the end of the summer. They have therefore asked for some of the 2024 spending to be brought forward.

Løhde is so far reluctant to meet that request according to Jyllands-Posten.

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