British nationals hospitalised in Italy
Updated 12 November 2024
© Crown copyright 2024
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/italy-hospitalisation-pack/hospitalised-in-italy
If you’re hospitalised in Italy, we will try to contact you as soon as possible to offer assistance according to your individual circumstances.
We can:
- visit you, particularly if you have no family or friends with you
- speak with doctors on your behalf if they do not speak English
- help you contact your insurance company
- contact your family or friends, if you’d like us to
We can’t:
- pay your medical bills
- translate medical reports or diagnoses
- evaluate any treatment you have been given
In deciding what kind of support would be most appropriate, we will take into account factors such as your condition, your ability to speak on the phone, whether you have relatives or friends with you, whether you have a tour company representative and the standard of medical facilities before deciding whether we should visit you. If we believe we should, and there is a British Embassy or Consulate in the same city as the hospital you are in, we will aim to visit you as soon as possible. We do not usually contact or visit people who have travelled specifically for medical treatment.
Paying for your treatment
If you have a European Health Insurance Card or a Global Health Insurance Card issued by the UK
You can use your EHIC or GHIC card to cover the cost of state-provided healthcare if you need it when you are in Italy.
The UK GHIC has replaced the existing European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). If you have an existing EHIC you can continue to use it until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you’ll need to apply for a UK GHIC to replace it.
If you are treated as an out-patient for follow-up checks you may need to pay a fee, via a co-payment called ‘Ticket’, in the same way as an Italian resident, for:
- specialist referrals
- diagnostic tests
- prescription medicines
If you are at a private hospital (clinica), your EHIC/GHIC may not be accepted, unless the private hospital has a special agreement (convenzione) with the public health authority. In this case you should contact your insurance company – see below.
The Embassy or Consulate cannot pay medical bills.
If you do not have your EHIC or GHIC with you
You’ll need to apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) if you need treatment and you do not have your EHIC or GHIC, or your card is lost or stolen abroad.
A PRC only covers you for treatment you receive at a public hospital, clinic or other treatment facility. If you are receiving private treatment, you need to consult your travel insurance.
You can apply online or by calling the Overseas Healthcare Services on:
+44 191 218 1999 (Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm)
Please click here for further information on what is covered by a PRC.
Contact your insurance company
Your EHIC or GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance. It may not cover all health costs and never covers repatriation costs. Make sure you have travel insurance as well as your card.
If you have travel insurance, you or your family should contact your insurance company immediately.
We can help liaise between your insurance company and the Italian doctors but it’s important your insurance company is involved straightaway.
You might have to contact your GP in the UK, as your insurance company may need to speak to them as well.
Your insurance company may not accept your claim if you didn’t disclose a previous condition.
Remember to keep any receipts or doctors’ notes in case you need them to make a claim.
Hospital admission
Emergency admissions to hospital occur via A&E (Pronto Soccorso). You’ll generally be pre-assessed on arrival by a nurse or doctor before further actions are taken and you will be assigned a colour-coded category, based on the level of severity of your condition: Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, White. This is called triage.
Waiting times will depend on the category you are assigned. White categories, which are considered as not requiring urgent treatment, will need to pay a fee.
While you’re in hospital
As a patient, you should bring everything you need with you, including towels and toiletries, which can also be provided for you by family or friends once admitted.
Meals are provided free of charge. Patients are normally served three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and supper) but menus and patterns may vary according to your medical condition.
Wards usually have 3 to 6 beds – if you want a single room, you may need to pay for it or go to a private hospital. Laundry service for personal clothing is not normally provided and patients are expected to have an adequate change of clothes. In some hospitals, you can find volunteers from local charities to help.
Most hospitals have social workers who can help you. Ask to speak to a social worker (assistente sociale) through the hospital medical staff or the hospital’s customer services office (Ufficio Relazioni con il Pubblico).
Hospitals are required to publish a Charter of Services, in Italian (Carta dei Servizi), also available on the hospital website, which provides general information about their services. Different wards often have different visiting times and regulations.
Making a complaint
If you’re not satisfied with the care provided, you can submit a complaint via the hospital’s customer services office (Ufficio Relazioni per il Pubblico-URP).
A complaint can usually be filed in person, on the phone or in writing. Larger hospitals publish templates on their websites.
For more serious complaints, you should seek legal advice from an English-speaking lawyer in Italy.
The European Charter of Patients’ Rights explains your rights.
Before you leave hospital
When you’re discharged, you’ll receive a letter in Italian outlining your diagnosis and any medication prescribed. Make sure you provide the details of your EHIC/GHIC or Provision Replacement Certificate to the hospital Administration office (Ufficio Amministrazione or Ufficio Stranieri) before you leave the hospital to avoid receiving an unexpected medical bill.
Full medical report
If you want a full medical report (cartella clinica), you’ll need to make an official request to the Ufficio Cartelle Cliniche. Information on how to apply is normally available on the hospital website or you can ask hospital staff.
Application procedures vary in each hospital. In some instances, it might not be possible to send online payments or have your medical records couriered abroad.
Fit-to-fly certificate
Your airline may require a fit-to-fly certificate, so check with them before you’re discharged. Public hospitals normally do not provide this certificate so you might need to make private arrangements via your insurance company or contact a private healthcare provider.
Repatriation
If you have travel insurance and your claim has been accepted, your insurance company will organise your return to the UK.
However, if you don’t have insurance or a valid claim, and you’re not well enough to travel on a public flight, you’ll need to contact a private repatriation company. Be aware, they can be very expensive.
Our contact details
Via XX Settembre 80/a
00187 Roma
Italy
Tel: (+39) 06 4220 0001
Our working hours are from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (Italian time)
British Consulate-General Milan
Via San Paolo 7
20121 Milano
Italy
Tel: (+39) 02 72 3001
Our working hours are from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday (Italian time)