The Tories campaigned to bring our healthcare up to equivalent of that in Europe – sadly the promised improvements seem to have been ‘overlooked’.

In their election manifesto, David Cameron and Andrew Lansley said they wanted to improve medical care in Britain, to bring it up to European standards.

Ever since the election, I have been trying to find out what UK patients have to do to access this promised healthcare.  Having just spent two days on the phone to the Dept. Health, trying to find out who has been tasked with looking into European healthcare, and seeing what can be done to copy this in the NHS, I was told by an official

“These questions cover a wide range of areas, and would involve me speaking to five or more policy officials, taking up a great deal of mine and my colleagues time, in order for me to get answers for you. And, once we have answers, you are likely to have follow-up questions.

Translation:  now that we have won the election by the skin of our teeth, we can start burying all those awkward promises.

Lufthansa is coming to the rescue

However, if you don’t want to wait until the NHS drags itself up by its old-fashioned bootlaces to crawl in to twenty-first century medicine, Lufthansa, together with international patient consultant Premier Healthcare Germany, has set up a department to help patients from around the world in selecting and obtaining high quality medical treatment in Germany.

Germany is internationally renowned for its focus on quality, scientific research, and evidence based medicine, while still maintaining an affordable cost for treatment.  I have been there, and was very impressed by the high standard of care – and also cleanliness.

The Lufthansa/Premier Healthcare scheme offers

•Reduced fares in economy, business, and first class due to the cooperation with Premier Healthcare Germany
•Mixed cabin class option: fly to Germany in economy class and return in business class, e.g. after a hip replacement
•Free itinerary changes offer patients flexibility in case of changes in their medical condition
•Hassle-free medical trip planning due to combined medical and travel expertise of Lufthansa and Premier Healthcare Germany
•An opportunity to earn miles in Lufthansa’s award-winning Miles and More frequent flyer program

“This cooperation is easy for Lufthansa to implement and it means so much for us, an emerging company that strives to make medical treatment in Germany accessible for everyone,” said Olaf Haase, Director of Clinical Affairs and one of the founders of Premier Healthcare Germany. “Being mobile and having easy access to Germany is the fundamental key to any medical travel. With this cooperation, we can offer transportation that goes far beyond the simple booking of a seat.”

Lufthansa offers wheel chair service, up to complete intensive care units onboard its aircraft,  and has become a leading provider in medical mobility.”

As Premier says, “Medical travel needs to be well planned and organized. It is for this reason that patients sometimes shy away from it. The task of travelling to another country for treatment often seems daunting. This is often due to the logistic efforts involved.  Only the very few Internet savvy and travel experienced individuals find it easy to plan and execute a medical trip. For others, it can be a project with unpredictable complexity.

Having been treated in Germany for side effects from hormonal cancer drugs, I would go back tomorrow – especially as massage is very much a part of German healthcare.  But be warned – therapists usually stay in the room when you undress, and find it very funny that British men always keep their socks on for massage – even though they are naked!

I found the doctors extremely efficient, although unlikely to provide the personal information on their website that we might access for British healthcare professionals.  When I queried this, I found out their Health Ministry keeps a much more rigorous eye on qualifications, etc.  so Germans aren’t so obsessed with looking up their doctor’s qualifications on the web.  However, Premier Healthcare does have information on its website about many of its top surgeons, which must have been prepared for us Britons!

More information: www.premier-healthcare.eu

Olaf Haase

Director of Marketing and Clinical Affairs
Member of the Board
Phone: +49 163 286 9344
Mail: Olaf@premier-healthcare.eu
or
Michael G. Meurs
Director Business Development
Member of the Board
Phone: +31 651 26 9282
Mail: michael@premier-healthcare.eu

GERMANY

Klinikzentrum Bad Sulza, near Leipzig, is forging links with British cancer treatment centres, and even had lectures from a specialist British Therapist on differences treating British patients. Great hilarity during the training sessions, as therapists discovered the main difference is Germans are so used to massages that they take off clothes automatically; we have to be persuaded even to take our socks off.  But therapists have seen it all before, and you soon relax under their skillful treatments.  The Director, Dr. Toerpe, was in charge of an Olympic team, and a sports doctor, and what he doesn’t know about rehab. isn’t worth worrying about.

The massive 500-bed complex is built around a huge Dome, housing seven large thermal swimming pools, and I couldn’t believe the size of the complex.  It is filled with thermal waters at 35 degrees, and you could spend all day in them.  In winter is it great fun to swim outdoors with snow falling, keeping blissfully warm in the water.  By the side is a smaller dome, where you can have Liquid Sound therapy.  The therapist is in the pool with you, bending your body into flexible shapes (you would be surprised what you can do), whilst you listen to music piped under water.

If you go there for treatment your doctor will send your notes, which will have been read thoroughly by your English-speaking doctor, who then devises a schedule giving you two treatment sessions a day – which include different types of massage, special baths – the mud bath is incredibly soothing and fantastic for your skin – and other therapies which you can take if you wish.  The basic cost is £99 pp a day, including single ensuite, three meals a day, doctor’s supervision and all recommended treatments.

You could pay around £10 a day extra to stay in Haus 2, which is not so clinical and has larger rooms, and then walk in to the village for the evening meal, as the local food served in the Clinic is hearty – to say the least!  In Auerstedt village (next to Bad Sulza) is a Castle (belonging to the Clinic owners), with a good restaurant and fascinating little Carriage museum – including a carriage given to Napoleon which is a right monster!  There is also a Gastro-pub ‘The Old Schoolhouse’ , again with good food.

The most expensive building in the complex is the Spa hotel, which includes the beauty spa managed by Francisca Klotz (who speaks an very good English), and offering  excellent treatments specially aimed at post cancer patients: manicures, facials (with fantastic results) and other treatments to induce moisture into dried-up skins.

Air Berlin (to Berlin) and Ryanair (to Altenburg-Leipzig) fly there (Air Berlin definitely wins hands over with their excellent treatment of anyone with the slightest disability), or you can fly to Frankfurt and connect up to the fantastic German Rail system from the Airport (3 ½ hrs to Bad Sulza – the train stops in Weimar and you change in another train to Bad Sulza).  And then I suggest hiring a car, use the train again to go sightseeing, as Bad Sulza has excellent connections, or just walk.  There is so much to see round about – the Castle where Luther wrote his thesis whilst imprisoned, the longest covered bridge north of Florence, Weimar, Jena, Dresden and Leipzig near by, you can take out Clinic bicycles and explore the wooded countryside around or walk through the vineyards -  a very popular past-time!

All treatments can be taken by others in the family, and kids can enjoy the special Kindergarten as well as take advantage of the massive thermal water pools. In the summer there is a huge outdoor swimming pool (with fun fountains and water features) and mini golf close by. Just don’t ask German fellow guests how much they are paying (most are getting their stay free on the German health service).

Makes you sick when you realise that they pay about the same overall as we do in taxes for the NHS, yet maybe because their hospitals aren’t burdened by massive administration costs, benefits go to the patient. As far as I could see there is only a small administration staff at the Klinik, but five full-time medically-qualified doctors and about 30 medical staff for up to 100 patients! If you have lymphoedema they are specialists in treating this, but you need to book a stay for at least 18 days.

http://www.toskanaworld.net/web/en/klinikzentrum/ausstattung.asp go to Medical Spa Bad Sulza tab at top at end on right, then scroll down to blue section on right and click on therapies.

Or go to   www.medicalspa-kbs.com

Health Made in Germany

Is a new guide to German hospitals,  written by Udo Kessler for international patients.  It has information about 50 hospitals, and also mini-CVs of staff – something that is difficult to obtain in Germany, where if you are qualified you are qualified – full stop!  But with this guide you can find out background information and lots of helpful details.
www.treatment-in-germany.com.