Email
February 26
Dear Editor,
I recently damaged my arm working and snapped the bicep tendon. I attended the doctor in San Miguel who said it was just an hematoma and it will be ok in siz weeks .
It did not improve it got worse so I went to my doctor in Los Montesinos who agreed it was more, he thought it was a broken tendon and sent me for a scan, the scan confirmed that the tendon had snapped and to make an appointment with my doctor the next day.
I saw my doctor and he said it will need the operation to repair the tendon and he would contact the hospital in Torrevieja and talk to the surgeon.
After two days he called me back and informed me they will not do the operation because their policy is if your over 60 years old they will not do that operation. He said he could give me pain killers and send me for pain treatment.
I said I am an active 69 year old and I cannot now lift with my left arm and the doctor agreed and said he would talk to a different surgeon and he did this but the second surgeon said the same thing it was not the policy to do the operation on someone over 60.
For the Ribera Salud to say I can’t have the operation because I am over 60 is age discrimination. My proximal tendon has snapped and needs repairing so I can carry on an active life and not stop doing things because I am over 60. This is the reason that Valencia is putting the public back in control of Torrevieja hospital and districts in October 2021 because Ribera Salud is putting profit before care .
Neil Kendall
