Foreign Commonwealth Office
Central Government
Action Taken
The FCO has reminded consular staff of policy guidance and best practices to ensure timely action. Since July 2017, all consular calls are answered at in-house Consular Contact Centres providing a 24/7 service. They are also encouraging British travellers to take out appropriate travel insurance before they travel. (AI summary)
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April 2018 Mr Andrew A Haigh Foreign & HM Senior Coroner Commonwealth Coroner's Office Office No1 Staffordshire Place King Charles Street Stafford London SWIA 2AH ST16 2LP Secretary of State Tz ( Hyl, Thank you for providing me with a copy of your Regulation 28 report of 27 February regarding the death of Mr Adrian in Egypt and for alerting me to the difficulties Mr King s family say they experienced in communicating with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO): Consular staff were in daily contact with Mr King's family from 25 May 2017. But I accept that more effort should have been made to reach out to the family more quickly once were notified of Mr King' s admittance to Al Kouther hospital in Hurghada on 22
2017. The Consular Regional Operations Manager and consular staff have since been reminded of the policy guidance and best practice and to ensure appropriate action is taken in a timely manner for all cases. If the family wish to provide more detail ofthe dates and times where were not able to hold of a member of the Consular team we will of course investigate further: In line with our consular policy, the support to Mr King's family from our staff in Cairo and London included contacting the hospital, insurance company and Mr King' s father, brother and friend. On 28 our embassy s Consular Warden visited Mr and sought updates from the hospital manager and the doctors overseeing Mr King s care at El Queseri hospital. I understand that these updates were shared with Mr King's family. From reviewing the details of these contacts it is clear that the insurance companys refusal to cover Mr King' s medical costs stem from pre-existing condition that told us had not been declared to them. As consular staff are not medically trained are not able to change decisions made by insurance companies or hospitals. So it appears that even if FCO officials had been in contact with the family sooner; it would not have affected the decisions made by the hospital and insurance company in Mr King's case. Whether or not consular officers can influence treatment decisions in foreign hospitals; it is very important to me that British people are able to make contact with our consular staff when need our support. Since July 2017 all consular calls to King they May they get May, King they they they -
the FCO in London and to British embassies and consulates are answered at one of our in-house Consular Contact Centres. These centres provide a 24-hour, seven day a week service for British anywhere in the world, usually for the cost of a local or national phone call will directly help the caller if possible, or ask a member of the consular staff in the relevant country to provide in-person help when that is necessary: They can also provide information and advice about the consular services available at our embassies and consulates. The FCO's Consular_Strategy 2016-2020' sets out our commitment to reducing the number of preventable consular cases before happen, and helping to minimise the risk to British people overseas. One of our current prevention priorities is to encourage an increased proportion of British travellers and expats to take out appropriate travel insurance before they travel. This includes using communications campaigns to sensitise British people to the need to purchase insurance that is valid for the activities are undertaking overseas: We are also strengthening our relationships with the insurance industry, and identifying opportunities for joint- working to improve the insurance offer for British nationals_ For more details on the standard of consular assistance that family members can expect following the hospitalisation ofa loved one overseas, please refer to our guide? for British people overseas. 4I THE RT HON BORIS JOHNSON MP https:L Lassets publishing servicegovukLgovernmentLuploads/system/uploadslattachment_ datalfile {519687/Consular_Services_2016-2020 pdf https:/ /assetspublishing service gQv uk/government Luploads_system/uploads/attachment_data/file/584042/FCO Brits_Abroad_web1301zpdf people They - they they
2017. The Consular Regional Operations Manager and consular staff have since been reminded of the policy guidance and best practice and to ensure appropriate action is taken in a timely manner for all cases. If the family wish to provide more detail ofthe dates and times where were not able to hold of a member of the Consular team we will of course investigate further: In line with our consular policy, the support to Mr King's family from our staff in Cairo and London included contacting the hospital, insurance company and Mr King' s father, brother and friend. On 28 our embassy s Consular Warden visited Mr and sought updates from the hospital manager and the doctors overseeing Mr King s care at El Queseri hospital. I understand that these updates were shared with Mr King's family. From reviewing the details of these contacts it is clear that the insurance companys refusal to cover Mr King' s medical costs stem from pre-existing condition that told us had not been declared to them. As consular staff are not medically trained are not able to change decisions made by insurance companies or hospitals. So it appears that even if FCO officials had been in contact with the family sooner; it would not have affected the decisions made by the hospital and insurance company in Mr King's case. Whether or not consular officers can influence treatment decisions in foreign hospitals; it is very important to me that British people are able to make contact with our consular staff when need our support. Since July 2017 all consular calls to King they May they get May, King they they they -
the FCO in London and to British embassies and consulates are answered at one of our in-house Consular Contact Centres. These centres provide a 24-hour, seven day a week service for British anywhere in the world, usually for the cost of a local or national phone call will directly help the caller if possible, or ask a member of the consular staff in the relevant country to provide in-person help when that is necessary: They can also provide information and advice about the consular services available at our embassies and consulates. The FCO's Consular_Strategy 2016-2020' sets out our commitment to reducing the number of preventable consular cases before happen, and helping to minimise the risk to British people overseas. One of our current prevention priorities is to encourage an increased proportion of British travellers and expats to take out appropriate travel insurance before they travel. This includes using communications campaigns to sensitise British people to the need to purchase insurance that is valid for the activities are undertaking overseas: We are also strengthening our relationships with the insurance industry, and identifying opportunities for joint- working to improve the insurance offer for British nationals_ For more details on the standard of consular assistance that family members can expect following the hospitalisation ofa loved one overseas, please refer to our guide? for British people overseas. 4I THE RT HON BORIS JOHNSON MP https:L Lassets publishing servicegovukLgovernmentLuploads/system/uploadslattachment_ datalfile {519687/Consular_Services_2016-2020 pdf https:/ /assetspublishing service gQv uk/government Luploads_system/uploads/attachment_data/file/584042/FCO Brits_Abroad_web1301zpdf people They - they they