Trevor Laffan: My 90-minute, €10 hospital visit 

A few years ago, my wife Gaye and I applied for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). It’s what we used to call the E1-11.

I always keep them in a little pocket in my backpack whenever I go travelling but, to be honest, I almost forgot they were there. But I won’t anymore.

Back in October, 2023, I had a pain in my left leg and, to cut a long story short, it turned out I had two blood clots in my calf. I was put on a course of tablets for a few weeks to dissolve them and I was back to normal soon after.

My doctor advised me to wear flight socks in future whenever I was flying. He also prescribed some tablets when I was going to Australia to be taken before the flights to dilute the blood and prevent clotting. An added precaution.

I did what I was told, and I didn’t have a problem, but we were only home from Oz a few weeks when I flew to Cyprus. I took one of the tablets and wore the flight socks but when I got off the plane in Larnaca, I noticed the socks had slipped down around my shins. That worried me a bit, but my legs seemed fine.

We were only in Cyprus a few days when I got a severe cramp in my right ankle while in bed one night. I fought against it and went back to sleep.

I was sore afterwards and the following morning I couldn’t stand on it. It was extremely painful, but I gave it a day to right itself.

The next day was the same and I noticed the ankle was getting red. Now I was worried because the doctor told me that if I got another clot, I should head straight to the accident and emergency department of the local hospital.

I wasn’t sure whether it was a clot or not and I was afraid to take a chance, so off I went.

At 9.30am, I drove to Famagusta General Hospital, a public facility, and hobbled into A&E where I was directed to a triage area. After about five minutes a nurse appeared, did his routine, then sent me to the reception area to .

The lady behind the counter asked me for identification and I hadn’t thought to bring any. I did bring the EHIC though, and when she saw it she told me she didn’t need anything else.

She took my details from that, asked me for my address locally, and that was it.

She told me, almost apologetically, she would have to charge me €10, but promised the hospital wouldn’t be asking for any more money.

She gave me a number, sent me to a waiting room, and said I would be called in rotation unless there was an emergency in the meantime.

There wasn’t and I had barely warmed the seat when I was called into the emergency room and placed on a bed. Two guys took my blood pressure and a few more bits and pieces and instructed me to wait for the doctor.

After about ten minutes, a lady doctor about my own age arrived with two young trainees in tow. She immediately apologised for having very little English and asked me to speak slowly.

I’m not sure how much she understood, but she patted me on the shoulder like a mother comforting a child and off she went.

I was given a piece of paper and directed down the hallway to the x-ray department. I presented my credentials there, got another number, and took a seat in the waiting area.

I had just about got comfortable when I was called for the x-ray.

After that, I was sent back to my bed in A&E to wait for the doctor. She duly returned with her two understudies and turned me on my tummy while she checked out the offending ankle.

She twisted and poked it a bit until her finger eventually hit on something that caused me to give a little shout. She was chatting to the two students, and she poked it again, which caused more shouting.

That happened a few more times and it seemed she was encouraging the students to have a go too.

She eventually told me to get up off the bed and patted my shoulder again. I had no idea what she was saying but she gave me some Ibuprofen, another pat on the back, and away she went.

I was still none the wiser, so I asked one of the nurses who seemed to have a little English, and he told me the t was damaged. He said I should stay off the leg for a few days.

From what I could gather, I must have damaged the ankle during the fight with the cramp. I thanked everyone for their help and headed home.

All told, I had spent less than an hour and a half in the hospital. From start to finish I had been treated with nothing but kindness, professionalism and efficiency.

When I was told it wasn’t another clot, I was relieved, but I also felt guilty for tying up the staff for what amounted to a sore ankle, but they didn’t mind.

The Cypriots have a health system that seems to work. That was my experience anyway and a few friends out here found the same.

I didn’t see one person on a trolley and, as an added bonus, they had an abundance of car parking spaces which were also free.

Something else that’s free of charge is the EHIC and you can get one by applying to the HSE. It’s valid in any EU country and includes Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

Don’t be without one.