Recurring concern

Unreliable consular access and communication for British nationals abroad

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First reported 27 Feb 2018•Latest report 13 Nov 2022

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes failures in dedicated British embassy or consulate arrangements for receiving, responding to and progressing requests for assistance, and for accessing or reaching British nationals abroad when they may require urgent medical, welfare or protective support, including emergency access protocols and contact channels.

Not included

Excludes coroners' or investigators' requests for information from abroad after a person's death or return of remains.
Excludes the quality of medical treatment, detention or other services provided by foreign authorities where consular access or communication is not itself deficient.
Excludes generic international communication failures without a British consular-assistance context.
Excludes routine consular services unrelated to safety, welfare, medical assistance or emergency access.

Reports: 2
Individual concerns: 3
Date range: 2018–2022
Stated actions: 5

Reports over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office2

Concerns and responses across reports

Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

13 Nov2022
East London
Concerns raised2
1. Lack of an emergency access protocol for consular officers to reach detained British nationals
2. Procedures failing to secure consular access for detained British nationals experiencing a mental health crisis
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response 3
1. Action
  Codify a Global Response Centre protocol for emergency calls involving risk to life.
  Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completed
2. Action
  Operate a Consular Contact Centre that triages consular calls and directs cases requiring assistance to relevant teams.
  Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completed
3. Action
  Develop and implement improved mental-health training packages and enhanced specialist support for consular staff.
  Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completed
Respondent positions 3
1. Position
  Host states and local authorities are responsible for the safety, security and welfare of detained British nationals.
  Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeRedirects responsibility
1. Position
  Access to specific prisons or detainees cannot be guaranteed urgently because it depends on local authorities facilitating visits.
  Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeUnable to act
2. Position
  Consular officers are not trained or expected to determine mental capacity or assess whether local treatment is appropriate.
  Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeUnable to act
AI-generated summary

Lee Bradley Brown · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Lee Bradley Brown was detained at Bur Dubai Police Station in Dubai after his arrest on 7 April 2011 and was found unresponsive in his solitary cell on 12 April 2011. The inquest identified concerns including beatings, inadequate food and water, unh abitable living conditions, lack of necessary medical care, and lack of access to consular services. It also heard concerns about emergency access protocols, travel advice about detention in Dubai, and procedures for providing consular access to detained British nationals experiencing a mental health crisis.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Lack of an emergency access protocol for consular officers to reach detained British nationals
Wider context from the report
“1. The inquest heard evidence that there is no emergency access protocol to ensure that consular officers can reach detained British nationals in the event of a reported emergency. ”
Source location
Lee Bradley Brown · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 2 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Procedures failing to secure consular access for detained British nationals experiencing a mental health crisis
Wider context from the report
“3. A concern was raised at the inquest in relation to the procedures in place to gain consular access to detained British nationals who may be suffering from a mental health crisis. Such British nationals may not be able to provide the necessary consent for consular services. ”
Source location
Lee Bradley Brown · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 2 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Codify a Global Response Centre protocol for emergency calls involving risk to life.

Verbatim wording from the response
“GRC colleagues are specifically trained and use their professional judgement to decide when to escalate a call out of hours or contact a colleague for assistance in country. Nevertheless, as a result of the inquest, we have codified a protocol for the GRC to follow in the event of an emergency call where there is a risk to life. We have also reminded GRC staff of our guidance on cases of torture and mistreatment (T&M). By 31 January 2023 all those working GRC shifts will have attended refresher training by FCDO’s Human Rights Advisers on our consular guidance on T&M cases. Training on best practice in T&M cases has also been delivered to consular officers across the consular network over recent years.”

Source location
Response from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Page 2 · response
Published 21 November 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Operate a Consular Contact Centre that triages consular calls and directs cases requiring assistance to relevant teams.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Since 2011, post Mr Brown’s death, we have developed further our overall consular services and our operating methods so that our 24/7 response is as effective as possible. We continue to refine and improve our services for the benefit of British nationals abroad who seek our support and help. Since 2017, a Consular Contact Centre (CCC) has triaged all consular calls no matter which country in the world they relate to or originate from every day of the year. They respond to the majority of queries”

Source location
Response from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Page 1 · response
Published 21 November 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Develop and implement improved mental-health training packages and enhanced specialist support for consular staff.

Verbatim wording from the response
“whether the local treatment is appropriate. Where more specialist expertise and advice is required, consular staff have access to mental health experts in the FCDO who are able to guide and, where necessary, provide contact and liaison assistance with social services and other relevant providers.”

Source location
Response from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Page 3 · response
Published 21 November 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Host states and local authorities are responsible for the safety, security and welfare of detained British nationals.

Verbatim wording from the response
“It is important to begin by noting that the safety and security of individuals in a foreign jurisdiction is the responsibility of the host state and the relevant local authorities.”

Source location
Response from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Page 1 · response
Published 21 November 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Access to specific prisons or detainees cannot be guaranteed urgently because it depends on local authorities facilitating visits.

Verbatim wording from the response
“The local police or prison authorities have the responsibility for the welfare of all detainees and usually deal with arrangements for visiting or speaking to a detainee. We are reliant on the local authorities for the facilitation of visits and we cannot guarantee access will be given to any specific prison or detainee on an urgent basis or on a specific date.”

Source location
Response from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Page 1 · response
Published 21 November 2022
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Consular officers are not trained or expected to determine mental capacity or assess whether local treatment is appropriate.

Verbatim wording from the response
“FCDO staff are trained to help identify cases where an individual may have poor mental health and where they may require further assistance or may need their case to be prioritised. However, consular officers are not trained or expected to take a view on whether someone has capacity to make decisions on their own behalf or to comment on”

Source location
Response from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Page 2 · response
Published 21 November 2022
Open published response
27 Feb2018
Staffordshire South
Concerns raised1
1. Failure to maintain open communication channels for people in Britain seeking consular assistance with medical treatment abroad
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response 2
1. Action
  Remind consular managers and staff of policy guidance and best practice for timely case action.
  Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completed
2. Action
  Operate in-house Consular Contact Centres providing continuous access to consular assistance by telephone worldwide.
  Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completed
AI-generated summary

Adrian Nicholas KING · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

Adrian Nicholas King became unwell and collapsed after riding a quad bike into the desert during an excursion in Egypt, and died in hospital from kidney failure on 29 May 2017. The principal concerns were that problems with his insurance affected the extent of his medical treatment and that attempts by his family to contact the British consulate for assistance were unsuccessful; it remained unanswered whether he could have been saved.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to maintain open communication channels for people in Britain seeking consular assistance with medical treatment abroad
Wider context from the report
“The indication given to me in evidence at the inquest was that the extent of Mr King’s medical treatment had been affected by problems with his insurance cover. Family members told me that when they became aware of his illness and hospitalization in Egypt they made numerous telephone calls attempting to speak to the consulate in Egypt in an effort to assist with what was going on. These calls were either not answered or curtailed very quickly without progress being made. It is not possible to say if it is likely that Mr King could have been saved but this remains an unanswered possibility. However it strikes me as important that if people in Britain are seeking to contact a British embassy or consulate abroad in order to assist with medical treatment for someone who is ill in that foreign country then the channel of communication should be open. For the avoidance of doubt this concern relates to events prior to death. It has nothing to do with Coroners seeking to obtain information from abroad after a body from abroad comes back to England and Wales. That system is presently managed by ████████ and I am grateful for the assistance it provides on a regular basis. ”
Source location
Adrian Nicholas KING · Prevention of Future Deaths report
Page 1 · concerns
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Remind consular managers and staff of policy guidance and best practice for timely case action.

Verbatim wording from the response
“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 they were notified of Mr King’s admittance to Al Kauther hospital in Hurghada on 22 May 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 of the dates and times where they were not able to get hold of a member of the Consular team we will of course investigate further.”

Source location
2018-0061-Response-by-Foreign-Commonwealth-Office
Page 1 · response
Published 8 June 2018
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Operate in-house Consular Contact Centres providing continuous access to consular assistance by telephone worldwide.

Verbatim wording from the response
“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 they need our support. Since July 2017 all consular calls to”

Source location
2018-0061-Response-by-Foreign-Commonwealth-Office
Page 1 · response
Published 8 June 2018
Open published response

Data last updated 7 September 2026

What this concern includes

Not included

Reports over time

Concerns raised2

Lack of an emergency access protocol for consular officers to reach detained British nationals

Procedures failing to secure consular access for detained British nationals experiencing a mental health crisis

Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3

Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3

Concerns raised1

Failure to maintain open communication channels for people in Britain seeking consular assistance with medical treatment abroad

Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2

Actions described in response 3

Respondent positions 3

Actions described in response 2