How it works

During your first contact with our global response centre, our emergency responders and clinicians will gather all the relevant information in order to assess the patient’s needs and recommend the most suitable and tailored repatriation option. Repatriations could be conducted by air ambulance, travelling with a medical escort on a commercial flight or by road using a specially equipped ambulance or medical car.

We always prefer for the patient to have a familiar face with them during the repatriation and certainly, utilisation of a medical escort on a commercial flight doesn’t usually present any obstacles. However, on an air or road ambulance repatriation, where space is more restricted, the final decision will be made by the medical escort team, depending on the patient’s condition at the time of the repatriation.

The amount of luggage you can take depends very much on the type of repatriation. For instance, on a commercial flight, the airline determines the luggage allowance. However, you always have the option to pay extra for excess luggage, if you wish, as you would do on a normal flight. Air and road ambulances have a more restricted amount of space and therefore storage. The type of vehicle or aircraft we use determines the amount of luggage you might be able to carry, though you should certainly be able to take one piece of hand luggage on board. If for any reason the luggage can’t travel with you, we can assist with arranging a courier through one of our trusted providers.

The cost of a repatriation or evacuation is determined by a number of factors. Each transfer is tailored to the patient’s individual needs, taking into consideration their geographical location, clinical condition and their medical needs during transportation. Due to the number of variables and other factors for consideration, the cost will vary case-by-case; therefore it is not possible to specify an average cost.

Our in-house clinical team and interpreters request the medical notes from the treating hospital. If the notes are in a foreign language, we are able to arrange translations to the language of your preference.

Our emergency response centre operates 24/7. Therefore, arrangements can be made round-the-clock to suit all time zones. Repatriation arrangements start as soon as the full extent of a patient’s medical condition is established. For air ambulance and road ambulance transfers, we could leave base within hours of initial contact. However, some commercial flight repatriations require medical clearance and this may take a few days to obtain. However, due to our relationships with major airlines, we have obtained clearances within a few hours after submission. We always ensure that all permits and clearances are in place before the repatriation begins.

Medical clearance is an authorisation from the airline to allow a traveller with a medical condition or injury to board their aircraft. Anvil completes the forms and applies for the authorisation on your behalf.

Our clinicians liaise with the receiving hospital to arrange prompt admission and appropriate treatment. If the patient is to be admitted as a private patient, an authorisation form from the relevant insurance company should be obtained in advance.