Our oversees visitors team are offering advice to colleagues planning a holiday in Europe.

They're encouraging everyone to carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). A valid EHIC gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland. The EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home. Treatment should be provided on the same basis as it would to a resident of that country.

The EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. It will not cover any private medical healthcare or costs, such as mountain rescue in ski resorts, being flown back to the UK, or lost or stolen property. It is also not valid on cruises. It is therefore important to have both an EHIC and a valid private travel insurance policy in place before you travel. Some insurers now insist you hold an EHIC, and may well waive the excess if you have one.

NHS Choices offer advice and guidance and links to apply for a card here.

Equally, if you have a patient on your ward or department who usually lives in Europe, please inform the Overseas Team on 01422 222963 or OverseasVisitorTeam@cht.nhs.uk. If possible, ask the patient if they have an EHIC, and an address in the nation where the EHIC was issued, and take a copy of this. The Trust can claim 25% of the cost of any treatment provided to a visitor from Europe with a valid EHIC. 

When a patient holds a valid EHIC, it really is a win-win situation for us. The patient doesn’t have to pay for their treatment as it is covered by their home nation, there is no hassle for the patient with reclaiming money through an insurance company and the Trust still gets 25% of the cost of the patients care.

Our advice to anyone planning a trip to Europe is to make sure an EHIC is on your list of things to pack. For any further advice on all matters relating to Overseas Visitors, please feel free to contact them.