No, not that sort of drugs! I'm talking about hospital-type drugs. We're booked to visit Corfu next month.  My wife has recently developed a heart condition called AF; she's only had 2 episodes of it so far, but both required urgent A&E intervention and appropriate cardiac drugs. I've read a lot in the papers about Greek hospitals running out of even basic drugs due to budget pressures. My question is - what's the situation likely to be in Corfu? If my wife needed urgent care there, might the main hospital manage? Or are there private facilities which might be able to cope? Any thoughts appreciated.

It's not GP-type drugs which I'm worried about, she'll have plenty of those.  It's the emergency cardiac drugs used in A&E resuscitation units I'm concerned about. These are not the things you can get prescriptions for.

I'm sure you've thought of this, but, will you be staying close enough to the hospital if need be, or will you have a hire car in case heaven forbid you need to get your wife to the hospital quickly.

If you call an ambulance--don't take this as gospel, but, it might be a private ambulance that arrives and you might be taken to a private clinic.

Remember the Greek emergency services number is 112- although I have been told that if you dial 999 it is diverted to ths Greek number.  This number should get you through to a state ambulance and hence to the excellent cardiac unit at the hospital- which I hope you will not need!

My wife has been taking medication for a number of years for high blood pressure. She hasn't been very well for the past few months but our GP told us she was OK to go on holiday and that he would arrange a consultation at the main hospital when we got back. However she wasn't very good while we were in Corfu so I persuaded her to see a Doctor in Acharavi. It turned out he was a Cardiologist. We hadn't made an appointment but he saw her within 30 minutes, carried out a number of tests, arranged different medications for her, got her to do a treadmill test 4 days later. Her blood pressure is much better. She has seen our GP since coming home and he has arranged an appointment for her to see an NHS cardiologist in Plymouth but it won't be until 6th August!!. The Greek economy may be in dire straits but they know how to organise their health services. The two visits to the Cardiologist cost 200 Euros. Money well spent.

Thanks for the replies.  We've now cancelled our trip to Corfu on medical advice - it seems that the medical profession is also concerned about the potential shortage of emergency medication.  When things improve in Greece, we'll be back.

What did you see that the rest of us missed?   I find the new Corfu hospital very impressive indeed, as have several friends unfortunate enough to have had stays there.  On one visit to a friend there I met the English lady in the bed opposite, in with a heart problem, who said it had taken 3 hours to get tests done on admission that had taken over a week to get done in UK! 

To cut a long story short an Ambulance was called for at 10 30pm by a doctor and never arrived, at 4 30 am the lady was took to hospital in a taxi. Maybe a one off. No ones slamming the medical profession. I have been going to Corfu for many years and will continue to do so.