Death Of British Overseas Territories Citizen Prompts Calls For Reform Of Uk Rules

Friends and family of a British overseas territory (BOT) national who died aft nan UK refused him aesculapian assistance person called for betterment of “flawed” policies governing healthcare for nan territories.

Robert Baker, a 63-year-old dual national of Jamaica and Montserrat, died connected Friday, aft travelling to Jamaica to person curen for blackouts that was unavailable successful nan British overseas territory of Montserrat.

He was receiving attraction astatine a infirmary successful Montego Bay, but his family said that contempt nan champion efforts of nan doctors and nurses, he endured immense challenges while successful nan hospital, which was nether renovation.

After undergoing room to region a tumour from his stomach, Baker was discharged but had to return to nan hospital, wherever he said he was put connected chairs for astir 2 weeks because nary beds were available.

“At 1 time, I was, like, connected 4 chairs put together and different clip I was successful a wheelchair. Sometimes, my ft was hanging down truthful they were swelling,” Baker told nan Guardian earlier his death.

In nan week of his death, his family besides said they had exhausted each their resources and were nary longer capable to salary for costly medicine for Baker, who had to beryllium fed intravenously.

Robert Baker’s family said he had to slumber connected chairs for astir 2 weeks owing to a deficiency of disposable beds. Photograph: Supplied

His distraught partner, Cynthia Brooks, pleaded connected Monday for amended curen of Montserratians.

“One of my top wishes … is that different Montserratians don’t get denied [help] from nan British government. They should thief our group because we are ruled nether their government.

“If only they [had] listened to nan outcry of Robert Baker … asking for thief to spell to England for amended healthcare, he would beryllium pinch america today. So … if anyone … should inquire nan British authorities for thief owed to sickness, please … don’t fto immoderate much dice nan measurement Robert Baker died, conscionable because of neglect,” she said.

Donaldson Romeo MP, a erstwhile premier of Montserrat, had raised money, written letters to nan Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and visited Jamaica and nan UK successful an effort to get assistance for Baker. He said he was told that nan UK did not ordinarily assistance dual nationals successful their state of 2nd nationality, unless location were quality authorities aliases humanitarian usurpation matters.

The FCDO had antecedently said that nan UK did not supply consular support to dual nationals erstwhile they were successful their 2nd country, and that nan Department of Health and Social Care had an statement pinch BOTs for 5 to 10 BOT citizens a twelvemonth – depending connected nan territory – to beryllium treated by nan NHS. It said nan BOT authorities had to make nan referral and screen nan costs of travel, accommodation and subsistence.

Romeo, who flew to nan UK connected Sunday to lobby British MPs to reside nan challenges facing BOT citizens successful Montserrat, said Baker’s decease was a tragic indictment of “flawed, fragmented and poorly aligned policies” towards citizens of British overseas territories.

In his past missive to nan FCDO connected Wednesday, earlier Mr Baker’s death, he said nan lawsuit intelligibly met nan quality authorities objection threshold, asking: “Is it humane for a 60-year-old post-surgical diligent to past connected intravenous drips for complete 8 weeks, sleeping crossed chairs for 2 weeks and later successful a wheelchair for 4 days? Would specified curen beryllium tolerated nether British jurisdiction, moreover successful a situation aliases detention centre for asylum seekers?”

His missive besides described a strategy that allowed up to 10 overseas citizens from each BOT to person NHS curen each twelvemonth arsenic “inadequate successful narration to nan standard of need” and “deeply flawed”, adding that it created “disparities that person resulted successful predictable harm and, successful immoderate cases, nonaccomplishment of life”.

Romeo said that Baker would not person qualified for nan scheme, arsenic he was incapable to meet nan criteria of covering travel, accommodation and subsistence costs – which neither nan UK nor Montserrat provided.

Montserrat has been devastated by a drawstring of earthy disasters, including nan 1995 eruption of nan Soufrière Hills volcano, which destroyed its capital, Plymouth, and forced two-thirds of its organization to flee. Thirty years later, wellness accommodation connected nan land person not been afloat restored, according to officials.

Earlier this month, nan Guardian reported connected nan lawsuit of Cherry Brown, 69, a BOT national from Montserrat who sleept unsmooth successful a parkland successful Swanley, Kent. Brown had been funded by nan Montserrat authorities to recreation to nan UK and person curen connected nan NHS, which is not disposable connected nan land – but received letters from nan NHS demanding costs for her care.

“The caller decease of Robert Baker, highlights Montserrat’s ongoing struggle. Nearly 30 years aft nan volcano destroyed our cardinal infrastructure, we still deficiency a due hospital, master attraction and beardown emergency services, forcing galore to activity costly curen overseas, often pinch tragic outcomes,” Romeo said.

He added: “While wealthier British territories [like Gibraltar] and crown limitations bask robust section healthcare and UK NHS access, Montserratians proceed to look heavy inequality”.

“I impulse UK MPs to erstwhile again guidelines pinch Montserrat arsenic they did successful 1997 by giving america adjacent entree to [the] UK’s NHS. As British citizens, group successful Montserrat merit nan aforesaid dignity, compassion and healthcare. I americium assured that nan group of nan United Kingdom would understand and care, if they knew nan afloat grade of our struggle,” he said.

The Guardian has approached nan Jamaican authorities for comment.