PFD report

Adrian Nicholas KING · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 27 Feb 2018•Staffordshire South

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
1

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
4

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised1

  1. Failure to maintain open communication channels for people in Britain seeking consular assistance with medical treatment abroad
    Part of recurring concern: Unreliable consular access and communication for British nationals abroad
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

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

  1. Action

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

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 June 2018.
  2. Action

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

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 8 June 2018.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

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. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Unreliable consular access and communication for British nationals abroad.

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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

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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

Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.2

  1. 1

    Strengthen relationships with the insurance industry and identify opportunities for joint working to improve insurance provision for British nationals.

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 8 June 2018.
  2. 2

    Run communications campaigns encouraging British travellers and expatriates to obtain appropriate, activity-valid travel insurance.

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 8 June 2018.

Recipient positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when they do not describe a specific action.2

  1. 1

    Consular staff are not medically trained and cannot change decisions made by foreign hospitals or insurance companies.

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
  2. 2

    Earlier FCO contact would not have affected the hospital’s treatment decision or the insurance company’s refusal to cover medical costs.

    Stated by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.

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

Strengthen relationships with the insurance industry and identify opportunities for joint working to improve insurance provision for British nationals.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The FCO’s Consular Strategy 2016-2020¹ sets out our commitment to reducing the number of preventable consular cases before they happen, and helping to minimise the risk to British people overseas. One of our current prevention priorities is to encourage an increased proportion of British travellers and expats to take out appropriate travel insurance before they travel. This includes using communications campaigns to sensitise British people to the need to purchase insurance that is valid for the activities they are undertaking overseas. We are also strengthening our relationships with the insurance industry, and identifying opportunities for joint-working to improve the insurance offer for British nationals.”

Source location

2018-0061-Response-by-Foreign-Commonwealth-Office
Page 2 · 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

Run communications campaigns encouraging British travellers and expatriates to obtain appropriate, activity-valid travel insurance.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The FCO’s Consular Strategy 2016-2020¹ sets out our commitment to reducing the number of preventable consular cases before they happen, and helping to minimise the risk to British people overseas. One of our current prevention priorities is to encourage an increased proportion of British travellers and expats to take out appropriate travel insurance before they travel. This includes using communications campaigns to sensitise British people to the need to purchase insurance that is valid for the activities they are undertaking overseas. We are also strengthening our relationships with the insurance industry, and identifying opportunities for joint-working to improve the insurance offer for British nationals.”

Source location

2018-0061-Response-by-Foreign-Commonwealth-Office
Page 2 · response
Published 8 June 2018

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 staff are not medically trained and cannot change decisions made by foreign hospitals or insurance companies.

Verbatim wording from the response

“From reviewing the details of these contacts it is clear that the insurance company’s refusal to cover Mr King’s medical costs stem from a pre-existing condition that they told us had not been declared to them. As consular staff are not medically trained they are not able to change decisions made by insurance companies or hospitals. So it appears that even if FCO officials had been in contact with the family sooner, it would not have affected the decisions made by the hospital and insurance company in Mr King’s case.”

Source location

2018-0061-Response-by-Foreign-Commonwealth-Office
Page 1 · response
Published 8 June 2018

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

Earlier FCO contact would not have affected the hospital’s treatment decision or the insurance company’s refusal to cover medical costs.

Verbatim wording from the response

“From reviewing the details of these contacts it is clear that the insurance company’s refusal to cover Mr King’s medical costs stem from a pre-existing condition that they told us had not been declared to them. As consular staff are not medically trained they are not able to change decisions made by insurance companies or hospitals. So it appears that even if FCO officials had been in contact with the family sooner, it would not have affected the decisions made by the hospital and insurance company in Mr King’s case.”

Source location

2018-0061-Response-by-Foreign-Commonwealth-Office
Page 1 · response
Published 8 June 2018

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026