Pensioner 'held hostage' by hospital in Turkey over £49,000 coma bill released

A British pensioner who fell ill on holiday and was 'held to ransom' by a Turkish hospital is back home after his family paid £25,000 to release him. Malcolm Stocker, 68, was admitted to hospital in Marmaris with a bad case of an upset stomach two days before the end of a two week holiday in May.

Doctors told his family he was suffering from pneumonia and put him into an induced coma with a medical ventilator for two weeks. But once the former pub landlord had recovered the hospital refused to release him until the family had paid the first half of the £49,000 medical bill they claim he had racked up.

They had no choice but to launch a fundraiser to help pay the 'extortionate' bill and seven weeks after being hospitalised Malcolm was finally discharged and declared well enough to travel. His children had to hire a Turkish lawyer who negotiated with bosses at the Ahu Hospital and brought the bill down to £25,000.

The appeal raised £17,000, with the family picking up the remainder of the bill. Malcolm is now happy to be back home in Exmouth, Devon, with his partner Jane Morton.

His son Lee, 42, said: "It is a huge relief for dad to be back home. It has been an absolute nightmare not knowing what was happening one day to the next.

"The cost of it is just ridiculous, it feels like the hospital was just making up figures. I employed a lawyer and he got it down from £49,000 to £25,000. It is extortionate. It has been said that the hospitals there like to overcharge foreigners five times the amount, I don't know how they get away with it.

"Everyone who donated is absolutely amazing. Without all the help and support of the people who donated we would not be here right now."

Malcolm and Jane flew to Turkey on May 7 for a two week holiday. Because he had pre-existing medical issues he was not able to get travel insurance.

He fell ill with a stomach bug and was admitted to hospital on May 19. But doctors then said he was severely dehydrated and had pneumonia so he was placed in an induced coma for two weeks before being woken up.

It was then his family were informed of the rising medical bill. Malcolm's daughter Emma-Jane Stocker, 33, said she had heard reports of other foreign patients being unnecessarily sedated in Turkish hospitals to increase the medical bills.

She said during their ordeal: "It is like they are holding him hostage and won't release him until the first £20,000 is paid. They won't give us an itemised bill or any paperwork. It seems like it is all made up."

Lee, a taxi driver from Weymouth, was determined to stay by his father's side and spent six-and-a-half weeks with him in Turkey, with his employer Weyline kindly paying for his hotel. After flying back to Britain, Malcolm stopped off at the Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester for a check-up before returning home to Exmouth.

Lee added: "Dad is doing ok. He still doesn't feel well and is struggling with mobility after seven weeks in bed. He's got a bit of a way to go still and we're booking doctor appointments for blood tests and things to find out exactly what's going on.

"It's been a headache but we're so glad to be home."

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