InMedical hospitalemergencies, treatment and hospitalisation abroad

If you need medical attention abroad

OurIf travelyou adviceneed providesemergency medical attention, call the emergency contactservices. You can find phone numbers iffor emergency services in the health section of each country’s travel advice.

Make sure you have enough money or a credit card with you. You will often have to pay upfront for medical emergencycare abroad.abroad, even if you are fully insured.

YouConsider canwhether alsoyou viewneed ourhelp with translation, particularly if you are being asked to make important and long-term decisions. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides lists of English-speakinglocal doctorsEnglish-speaking translators and medical facilitiesinterpreters.

Contact

If us

YouYou, canyour family or someone travelling with you should:

• contact usyour insurance company as soon as possible – it should have a 24/7 emergency number
• check if your insurance covers you for the help you need, including medical translation or adviceinterpreting fromservices
• keep anywhereany inreceipts theor worlddoctors’ bynotes phoning– theyour Foreign,insurance Commonwealthcompany &will Developmentneed Officethem

If you’re not sure if a family member or friend has insurance, try to check with their bank, tour operator or travel agent they made their booking with. Citizens Advice provide some guidance on 020making 7008a 5000,claim.

If oryou’re not covered by insurance

If you’re not covered by insurance, you’ll usually need to pay for your nearestmedical Britishcosts embassy,yourself. highIt commissionis oryour consulateresponsibility to make sure you can access enough money. to pay for all your costs and to avoid getting into financial difficulties abroad.

How

Health weinsurance cards

Apply for a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) before leaving the UK. You should also check where it can helpbe youused or if youthere are hospitalised

Weany willother aimreciprocal toarrangements. contactIf you already have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), it will still be valid as soonlong as possibleit whenremains wein knowdate. Both cards can help you get essential state healthcare on the same basis as a resident in the country you’re visiting.

If you don’t have beena admittedGHIC or EHIC you can apply for a provisional replacement card, which could cover emergency treatment in public hospitals.

Your EHIC or GHIC does not cover going abroad for elective surgery or any planned treatment.

Mental health emergencies and hospitalisation abroad

Facilities, resources and understanding of mental health issues vary from country to hospital.country. WeLocal laws, policies and attitudes towards mental health in the country you’re in will affect the type of psychiatric care you may receive. More advice for British people with mental health needs (and their families and carers) while travelling or living abroad, and links to organisations that can provide further help accordingcan tobe yourfound needs.in Thisour mental health and wellbeing abroad guidance.

The rules on mental health hospitalisation or detention in another country may includebe visitingdifferent to those in the UK. The local authorities may make you leave the country. This could happen if you have been detained or hospitalised under local mental health laws

How the British embassy or consulate can help

If you are vulnerable,in hospital and need help from the British embassy or consulate, call us or ask a family member or friend to do this for you. In certain circumstances some local authorities will tell us about you, and we will contact you as soon as possible. Our staff may be able to visit you, to provide in person assistance depending on wherelocation and timing and whether you are and:able to speak by phone. We will assess your vulnerability based on factors such as:

• your medical condition as reported to us (note our staff are not medically trained)
• if

  the yousupport canavailable speakto onyou, thefor phone

example:
• if you haveare travelling with relatives or friends with you, or have a tour company representative
• whether the standard of medical facilities youcan areengage with relevant experts (for example your GP in the UK)

WeThe British embassy or consulate can offer some support if you have a medical emergency or are hospitalised abroad. Where we have your consent, 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 detailsdetails, for, or refer you directly, to oneany oflocal ourorganisations partnerthat organisations,may dependingbe onable whatto support you need
• sometimeshelp wemedical canstaff provideabroad informalto translationcontact toUK medical staff or your insurance company
• help you communicate with hospital staff,staff if(note theythis dois not speaka Englishformal translation service, but we can provide details of English-speaking interpreters)
• talk to your travel representative or travel insurance company
• provide information about local medical facilities
• raise concerns you have about your treatment or welfare with the local authorities

WeThe British embassy or consulate cannot:

• buy or pay for your medication, medical bills or other costsexpenses
• pay for you to return to the UK
• give you medical advice
• get you better treatment in hospital than is given to local people
• provide formal translationstranslation or interpretation of medical language documents or any other supporting documents
• arrangeget oryou paydischarged from hospital
• intervene in any local legal process resulting from a mental health emergency
• force anyone to return to the UK against their will
• stop you being deported if the local authorities decide you must leave the country

Going abroad for medical repatriationtreatment and planned elective surgery

If you travel abroad for medical treatment or planned surgery (sometimes called medical evacuationtourism), (medevac).you Youshould canbe findaware informationof onthe organisationspotential thatrisks. The standard of medical facilities, qualifications and treatments abroad can help vary widely and may differ from UK standards. There have been complications and deaths abroad from medical procedures.

WeThe doFCDO notcannot usually contacthelp if you have travelled abroad for medical treatment, for example if you have issues with the care received or visitcosts peopleinvolved. whoPlanned medical treatment is considered a commercial arrangement. If someone dies because of their treatment, see our guidance on what to do after a British national dies abroad.

You should:

• be cautious of websites selling cosmetic surgery as part of a holiday
• do your own research – private companies have travelleda financial interest in arranging your medical treatment abroad
• read specificallythe forNHS optionalgoing abroad for medical treatment.treatment However,guidance, treatment abroad checklist and, if thisrelevant, cosmetic surgery abroad
• discuss plans with your UK doctor or GP before committing to any treatment resultsabroad
• check inhow unexpectedyou hospitalisation,will weget home if there is an emergency, and how much it will cost
• check when you can fly home – air travel after major surgery increases your risk of a blood clot, which can be life-threatening
• be aware that healthcare after your treatment may be ablelimited in the country you are travelling to
• check helpwhether your insurance covers you, dependingand be aware that it may not be valid for some costs (for example if there are complications after the surgery). Be aware that standard travel insurance does not normally cover you if you travelled abroad for elective surgery

Read more advice on yourtravelling circumstances.for treatment on TravelHealthPro.

WhatGetting prescriptions

If you shouldneed doprescription ifmedicine youwhile areyou’re hospitalisedabroad, orspeak needto medicala helplocal pharmacist. Many countries accept UK prescriptions. Check the country’s travel advice for generic information about travelling with prescription medicine.

You,If you’re in the EU, you can usually use your familyEHIC or someoneGHIC travellingfor withprescriptions youfrom shouldstate-approved checkdoctors. This is the arrangementssame for yourresidents hospitaland stayvisitors.

Returning to the UK

Medical repatriation or medicalevacuation

If treatment:you are ill abroad, you may need to return home:

• contactwhile yourstill receiving care (medical repatriation)
• because specialist care isn’t available locally (medical evacuation or medevac)

Your insurance company asshould soonarrange asyour possible.medical Mostrepatriation insurersor haveevacuation. aIf 24/7your emergencyinsurance telephonedoes numbernot cover this, you’ll have to arrange and pay for it yourself. You can check the list of medical repatriation companies to get the support andyou adviceneed.

The aboutBritish appropriateembassy treatment.or Weconsulate cannot arrange medical repatriation or pay for it.

If you’ve never lived in the UK or have been abroad some time

If you need to travel to the UK but have never lived here or have been abroad some time, you may not automatically be ableentitled to helpstate youbenefits. doThis thisincludes iffree NHS hospital treatment.

You will need to provide proof that you cannotmeet docertain itresidence yourself