MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands Patients Prefer Chile.

Director of Falkland Islands Health Services, Norman McGregor-Edwards, claimed yesterday that patients sent to Chile came back with fewer complaints than those sent to Britain for treatment.

Overseas medical services and in particular the service in Chile were discussed in Monday's meeting of the Falkland Islands Government's Health and Medical Services Committee.

Senior Medical Officer, Dr Roger Diggle, said 58 patients had been sent to Chile in the last financial year, adding that he was, "satisfied," with the treatment they had received. He said one of the advantages of sending patients to Chile was, "the short period of time spent out of the Islands."

One of the main complaints from patients sent to UK was the waiting times between appointments as they are treated as National Health Service (NHS) patients. In Chile treatment is paid for so is immediately available.

The Committee heard that language problems had been experienced in the past; however there are now two English speaking nurses at the Clinica Alemana in Santiago, who always look after Falkland Island patients and even go to their hotels to check on patients' well being.

Mr. McGregor Edwards said there are several "stringers" to help patients and their families in Chile, adding that the hospital (KEMH) does send a member of family to help patients when needed.

(PN/MP)