Blog | Air ambulance | Repatriation from abroad (2024)

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The bond between the United Kingdom and Australia stretches back over 200 years, to when the first British colonists arrived Down Under. Since then, a steady flow of tourists, expats, and travelers has crisscrossed between these two countries on opposite sides of the globe that share a common history.

Australians have long ventured to the UK to take in the history and culture of London, Edinburgh, and other iconic destinations. Over 1 million Brits visit Australia every year as well, to soak up the sun on Sydney’s beaches and take in the Outback’s rugged landscapes.

There is also a sizable British expat community calling Australia home, with over 1.2 million Brits living in the land Down Under. This diaspora also flows the other direction, with expats from Australia putting down roots in England, Scotland, and beyond.

This bustling transit of people between the UK and Australia also necessitates medical transport services that can swiftly and safely repatriate patients who have fallen critically ill abroad. Medical Air Service’s ambulance aircraft help transfer them home or to hospitals where they can receive advanced treatment not available in their current location.

The key points to remember about our air ambulance services between Australia and the UK:

• Australians visiting the UK can access urgent and emergency treatment through the NHS under reciprocal healthcare agreements.
• British tourists in Australia can receive medical treatment in public and private hospitals, and clinics under reciprocal agreements.
• Our air ambulances, equipped with advanced medical facilities and highly trained medical teams, ensure the safe repatriation of critically ill patients between the UK and Australia.
• For stable patients, we offer medical escort services on commercial flights, providing personalized care and handling logistics for a smooth transport experience.

Why Do Aussies Flock to the UK Each Year?

Adventure, history, and that iconic British culture lure over 700,000 Australian tourists to the United Kingdom every year.

Many Australians journey to England, Scotland and beyond to connect with British culture. They come to see firsthand the places they read about in literature, watch BBC dramas, and hear British pop music. Visiting landmarks like Stonehenge or touring sites featured in Game of Thrones and Harry Potter brings beloved stories alive.

The top destinations for Aussie tourists exploring the UK are:

1. London: Iconic sights like Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and double-decker buses capture the world-famous character of England’s lively capital.
2. Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness: Rugged natural beauty and myths of the Loch Ness Monster lure visitors.
3. Cotswolds Region: Charming villages with stone cottages and churches straight out of fairy tales dot this picturesque rural area.

What Happens if Aussies Fall Ill While Visiting the UK?

Common medical issues like infections, injuries from falls or accidents, and exacerbations of chronic conditions can happen anywhere. Fortunately, Australia and the UK have reciprocal healthcare agreements allowing Aussies access to NHS urgent and emergency treatment while traveling in Britain.

The United Kingdom has a robust healthcare system that provides high-quality care to stabilize injured or sick foreigners. This includes both NHS hospitals and private clinics in the major cities. Treatment is free for Aussies at the point of care in NHS emergency rooms then highly subsidised for hospital stays and procedures.

Options accessible in the UK include:

• Accident and Emergency (A&E): Walk-in urgent care NHS facilities across the UK. Open 24/7.
• Hospitals: Both public NHS and private hospitals for inpatient and outpatient care. Offer a wide range of specialties and services.
• Clinics: Private clinics for less intensive outpatient and GP services.

Once an Australian patient's condition is stabilized in the UK, our air ambulance services offer safe transport home for ongoing recovery and rehab. Our fully equipped private jets have an ICU onboard staffed by critical care nurses and doctors. We also repatriate patients through commercial flights with dedicated medical escorts. These transports allow injured or ill Aussies to seamlessly continue treatment back home.

What Lures Brits to Australia Each Year?

With its iconic sites and stunning landscapes, Australia captivates British tourists seeking sensational scenery and vibrant cities Down Under. Endless beaches, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Outback’s timeless terrain entice adventurous Brits making Australia the 6th most popular destination.

Many English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish explorers venture across the globe to Australia to discover destinations that seem worlds apart from Britain. They come to spot kangaroos hopping across the wilderness, watch surfers catch waves on golden beaches, and wander streets lined with art deco buildings unlike streets back home.

The top destinations for British tourists exploring Australia are:

• Sydney: The gorgeous harbor, Bondi Beach, and the iconic Opera House make Sydney a ca n’t-miss stop.
• Great Barrier Reef: This natural wonder off the Queensland coast offers snorkeling, scuba diving, and stunning marine life.
• Uluru: The image of this towering sandstone rock formation rising from the Red Centre epitomizes the Outback’s raw beauty.

Should Brits Get Sick While Visiting the Land Down Under?

Just like Aussies visiting the UK, British travelers exploring Australia may face injuries or sudden illnesses far from home. Falls, infections, chronic disease complications happen worldwide. As a Commonwealth country, Australia also has reciprocal healthcare with Britain allowing access to NHS-equivalent emergency treatment.

Australia has top-rated health services, including modern hospitals. Public hospitals supported by federal Medicare insurance treat urgent cases for foreigners while private hospitals allow customized ongoing care. Options for sick Brits include:

• Accident and Emergency: Public hospital walk-in departments for traumatic injuries, infections, and more.
• Private Hospitals and Clinics: For customized care, procedures, and specialist treatment. The costs are typically covered by travel or home insurance.

Once stabilized in Australia, British patients can be safely repatriated home in a dedicated air ambulance or with airline medical escorts. We transport seriously ill travelers with intensive care support and specialized medical teams.

Why Leave Australia's Sunny Skies for the UK When Ill or Injured?

Transport home means Brits can return to familiar NHS hospitals and local rehab services for ongoing recovery near family.

Here are some reasons why British tourists may opt to fly back to the UK for treatment if they fall ill or get injured while visiting Australia:

• Familiar Environment - Returning to hospitals and care facilities in their home country provides a more familiar setting and care routine.
• Access NHS Services - For British citizens, flying home allows them to access the full range of treatments and specialists covered under their NHS health coverage.
• Family Support - Family support is crucial during medical crises or recovery as it provides comfort to patients and enables families to directly engage with doctors.
• Pre-Existing Provider Relationships - Patients with chronic pre-existing conditions likely have specialized UK doctors tuned into their case history and needs. Returning allows continuity.

The medical, practical and emotional reasons above often drive repatriation decisions so Brits can recuperate on home soil with robust support systems around them.

How Do We Safely Transport Patients Between Australia and the UK?

Our specially outfitted air ambulances allow smooth, safe repatriation for critical patients too unstable for commercial flights. Meanwhile, our medical escort services repatriate more stable patients through normal commercial airline routes.

Dedicated Air Ambulances

Our air ambulances are suitable for critical patients needing continued intensive care. The aircraft are customized private jets transformed into "flying ICUs" staffed by expert medical teams.

Why Our Air Ambulances Provide the Safest Medical Transport:

• State-of-the-art communication allows real-time consultation with specialists on the ground.
• Refueling capabilities that circumvent the need for interim landings also reduce health risks.
• Specially trained flight physicians, nurses, and paramedic crew provide ongoing intensive-level care.
• Flying Intensive Care Unit capabilities: Ventilators, infusion pumps, advanced monitors, and other critical care medical gear tailored for in-flight use.

By offering critical care in the air plus a stretched flight range, our air ambulances can safely repatriate vulnerable patients when commercial flights pose too great a risk.

Medical Escorts Through Commercial Flights

Medical Air Service’s trained nurses and paramedics escort less critical patients through regular commercial flights. Receive 1-on-1 care inflight and ground transport between planes/airports.

How Our Medical Escorts Ensure Safe Commercial Repatriation:

• 1:1 flight nurse or flight doctor by the patient’s side for the duration of the journey.
• Medical personnel trained in both standard and aviation safety protocols and emergency response.
• Escorts manage all logistical details for a stress-free transport – tickets, connections, ground transport, luggage.
• Our escorts personally coordinate patient hand-offs between airline ground crews and in-flight staff to prevent gaps in care.

By accompanying vulnerable passengers directly through every leg, our skilled medical escorts facilitate smooth, attentive transfers via routine commercial routes.

How Do We Make Medical Transports Totally Hassle-Free?

Our bed-to-bed service manages your end-to-end repatriation. We oversee the entire transport from your overseas hospital bedside to your local care facility bed in the UK or Australia. This door-to-door coordination removes the stress of logistics and allows complete focus on your recovery.

What’s the Easiest Way to Arrange a Medical Flight Home?

Booking our long-distance medical transportation service is simple. Just call our aviation experts, send us an email or fill in our contact form online. Our skilled transport coordinators will evaluate your situation, recommend the best transport options, and efficiently arrange all required aircraft, escorts, ground transportation, and destination transfers. We’ll update your family at every step and handle everything so you can concentrate on healing.

Contact us to book a medical flight now

If illness or injury strikes abroad, do not gamble with public flights. Call us to arrange safe transport back to premier UK or Australian hospitals and the support of loved ones. Our air ambulance ICU flights offer the most advanced repatriation between these two corners of the globe. Entrust us with your journey home so you can focus completely on recovery.