Medical Expenses: Brother Very Ill in Thailand

ManofLeisure_2

I would be inclined to make contact with my local MP for guidance. In particular, what do they feel the best way to proceed actually is?

Flugelhorn

In the UK you would not be expected to (or indeed be able to) consent to the treatment for your brother unless you had LPOA (which presumably you haven't). No doctor would expect you to sign a consent form like that - they would discuss with relatives and then if the person was unable to consent for themselves they (always more than one) would make a decision in the best interests of the patient.

Never sign something you can't understand. Where are you getting your info from ? is it via the FO?

Owain_Moneysaver

It is correct that the FO don't provide a translation of the document. They don't want to be liable to you if there is an error in the translation.

paddy's_mum

Surely the kind of help you and your brother need are exactly what I pay taxes for?

moneyistooshorttomention

theoretica wrote: »

Have you run the document through google translate or equivalent? I would want to get an idea of what it says, but then I am on the nosey side!

Living where I am now - I can tell you Google Translate is pretty awful:rotfl:. So, unless it's different in other countries, then it certainly isn't much cop at translating Welsh to English and any translation is always in bad English and sometimes I can't even make out some of what is being said at all.

Gavin83

Could I just clarify something. In such a situation if the patient can't afford the medical fees (which he clearly can't) and relatives can't pay it who becomes liable? Is it the FO? Might go some way to explaining why they're being so pushy and why I wouldn't trust anything they say.

Rosemary7391

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Living where I am now - I can tell you Google Translate is pretty awful:rotfl:. So, unless it's different in other countries, then it certainly isn't much cop at translating Welsh to English and any translation is always in bad English and sometimes I can't even make out some of what is being said at all.

And in this case you have the additional hurdle of the document being in a different alphabet - so if it's a paper copy OP has first to get it into a computer...

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Of course you can't be expected to cover foreign medical bills, and of course you shouldn't sign anything you don't understand.

If you choose to live abroad, usually to enjoy cheaper living costs/reduced taxation, it's your responsibility to make yourself familiar with local visa laws and organise health insurance. Not sure why UK taxpayers should pick up the tab for people who ignore these common sense basics.

I guess the FO prefer families to take over these situations so they don't have to deal with it.

Pollycat

jsoap5 wrote: »

I have told the FO that I will not sign the form unless it is translated into English. I have also asked them to find another 'next of kin' for my brother and not to contact me again.

A bit harsh, perhaps? Can anyone, perhaps with a similar experience, advise me?

Thanks.

I hope you do get someone who's had a similar experience to tell you their experiences.

But re the bit in bold, it's possible that you won't hear from the FO again.

Unless you really are the only 'next of kin' he has and they are desperate for someone to consent to the operation.

If you're certain in your mind that you are making the right decision regarding your brother and won't have any regrets in the future, I'd leave it at that.

I posted this on a different thread about responsibility to family:

Pollycat wrote: »

I personally don't feel any obligation to anyone who is part of my family simply because they are part of my family.

You don't have to justify yourself to anyone - imho.

Savvy_Sue

Gavin83 wrote: »

Could I just clarify something. In such a situation if the patient can't afford the medical fees (which he clearly can't) and relatives can't pay it who becomes liable? Is it the FO? Might go some way to explaining why they're being so pushy and why I wouldn't trust anything they say.

No idea, but I heard something on Radio 4 the other day about a chap who goes around the local hospitals and pays the medical bills for people who are otherwise fit to leave, but aren't being discharged until they pay what they owe. I don't remember which country it related to, nor how they kept presumably fit people in hospital (why do they not just walk out?)

If OP is sure they want no more contact with their brother, they should tell the FO that they are not willing to act as NoK, not willing to sign any forms, not willing to pay bills, not willing to make decisions about brother's medical care.