Many moons ago the former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Portillo told me that the UK should look to the best of Europe to move the country forward, and that was before Brexit had even been mentioned. He singled out Holland for education and Spain for health; well he was not wrong.
Dutch friends of mine all came out of school speaking six languages, while my and the family’s experience with the Balearic health service has been first class, especially recently. Appointments to see a doctor are quick, the follow-up just as speedy and the attention is of the highest degree.
I managed to get things moving with social services within a week, I doubt that happens in the UK. I went through the private system out of desperation, plus I do pay for it, but I think I’d been better off having gone through the local system to be honest.
And all this on an island where wages are low in comparison to the UK, where numerous nurses used to flock to pre-Brexit. Now it’s France and Germany for better pay, and the employment pool is rather restricted compared to the mainland.
So, to be able to provide first class hospitals and services is a huge success for Mallorca and I guess the Balearics as a whole although I have no experience of the other islands.