Guidance

In hospital abroad

This guidance explains how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) can help British people if they are hospitalised abroad.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
31 August 2022

Our travel advice provides emergency contact numbers if you have a medical emergency abroad.

You can also view our lists of English-speaking doctors and medical facilities.

Contact us

You can contact us 24/7 for help or advice from anywhere in the world by phoning the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on 020 7008 5000, or your nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate.

How we can help you if you are hospitalised

We will aim to contact you as soon as possible when we know you have been admitted to hospital. We will provide help according to your needs. This may include visiting you if you are vulnerable, depending on where you are and:

  • your medical condition
  • if you can speak on the phone
  • if you have relatives or friends with you, or a tour company representative
  • the standard of medical facilities you are in

We can:

  • contact your family or friends in the UK to tell them that you are in hospital, if you cannot do this yourself
  • provide contact details for, or refer you to one of our partner organisations, depending on what support you need
  • sometimes we can provide informal translation to help you communicate with hospital staff, if they do not speak English

We cannot:

  • pay your medical bills or other costs
  • provide formal translations of medical documents
  • arrange or pay for medical repatriation or medical evacuation (medevac). You can find information on organisations that can help

We do not usually contact or visit people who have travelled abroad specifically for optional medical treatment. However, if this treatment results in unexpected hospitalisation, we may be able to help you, depending on your circumstances.

What you should do if you are hospitalised or need medical help

You, your family or someone travelling with you should check the arrangements for your hospital stay or medical treatment:

  • contact your insurance company as soon as possible. Most insurers have a 24/7 emergency telephone number for support and advice about appropriate treatment. We may be able to help you do this if you cannot do it yourself
  • keep any receipts or doctors’ notes, as you may need them to make an insurance claim
  • check if your insurer covers medical translation or interpreting services. View our lists of local translators and interpreters by country
Published 31 August 2022
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