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Son faces £7,000 bill to get injured father home

Cheryl Latham
6/ 8/2008

A STOCKPORT man who saved his dad’s life after he broke his neck on holiday was shocked to find he now has to foot a £7,000 bill to get him home.

Richard Carter, 32, of Boundary Road, Cheadle, gave his father Peter mouth-to-mouth after he fell down stairs just three hours into a weekend trip to Dublin.

The father-of-four is still recovering at St James’ Hospital, Dublin, after suffering a broken neck and arm, paralysis, dislocated fingers and a gashed forehead.

Richard, 32, said: "I was walking down the stairs when I heard a thud behind me and it took me a few moments to realise it was dad on the floor.

"He was in a really awkward position, unconscious, covered in blood and he wasn’t breathing.

"Training from a course I had been on just kicked in and I was giving my dad first aid until the paramedics arrived."

Retired joiner, Peter, 66, didn’t have travel insurance for the three day trip and now faces a £7,000 bill for an air ambulance if he wants to get to a specialist spinal injuries unit in Ormskirk.

"I had travel insurance, but unfortunately my dad didn’t.

"I don’t suppose he even thought about it for such a short trip to Ireland. It wasn’t as if we were going half way around the world, or for a long period of time.

"The Irish medical care has been fantastic, but there’s a bed for him at the Ormskirk unit.

"We’ll get the money together between us, but it’s just unfortunate the rules and regulations mean the NHS can’t cover it."

The Foreign Office says it always advises people to take out insurance as the NHS only pays for treatment in EU countries - not transport home.

A spokesman said: "The Foreign Office does not fund repatriation. The cost can’t be paid for from public funds."

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