Áine Ní Dhomhnaill is from Inis Meáin in the Aran Islands. She had knee replacement surgery at the HCB Hospital in Denia. She opted to stay for 3 weeks so she could get more physiotherapy sessions.

Here’s what Áine had to say:

“I was told in Ireland I needed both knees replaced. I had issues last year while on holidays in Spain and the physiotherapy I got back then was first class. It was the first time in my life that physiotherapy worked for me. “So when it came to getting my knee replacement surgery, the attraction for me wasn’t the surgeons necessarily, it was the aftercare programme which Healthcare Abroad offered in Denia. “When it came to deciding to go to Spain, it was a very easy decision for me. “Back home you go and get your surgery, if you’re lucky. After 2 days you put both your feet on the ground and the surgeon says he’ll be in touch in a month or two. That’s the service at home.

“But in Spain the aftercare programme is what I wanted and I have to say it was second to none. “The team in the Healthcare Abroad Hospital is fantastic. I had 2 physio sessions every day in the week after surgery. The following week I did 2 more sessions per day. “I can’t find the words to describe how amazing the physiotherapists are. You might go in to them in the morning, and you might not be in the best of humour but you always come back out again laughing. “I am going to tell everyone on the islands and in the west of Ireland about Healthcare Abroad because whatever services there might be in the east of the country, they are practically non-existent in the west.

“If there is anyone reading this who needs help they should call Healthcare Abroad right away.”