British nationals who go into hospital overseas

• We aim to contact you within 24 hours of being told that you have been admitted to hospital.
• We don’t usually contact or visit people who have travelled specifically for medical treatment.
• If you are in hospital as a result of an assault or other crime, we will visit you as soon as possible.
• In all other cases, we will take account of 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 a visit is appropriate. If we decide it is, and there is a British embassy in the same city as the hospital which you are in, we aim to visit you within 48 hours of being told that you have gone into hospital.
• If you want, we can contact your family or friends in the UK to tell them that you are in hospital.
• If you want, we can help you to liaise with your insurance company or medical evacuation company. Remember to keep any receipts or doctors’ notes in case you need them to make a claim. We may also be able to help you communicate with hospital staff if they do not speak English.

Hospitals in Ecuador

Admission to a private hospital in Ecuador is a very bureaucratic procedure. When patients are admitted in an emergency, patients must provide credit card details and sign a guarantee slip for a pre-determined amount upon entry to the hospital following a preliminary diagnosis. If a patient arrives unaccompanied, and/or without a credit card, it is not possible to gain admission to a private hospital. The costs of private hospitals vary relative to the standard of care/facilities available. Some private hospitals offer a very high level of care.

Where beds are available, admission to public hospitals is a relatively straightforward procedure. Emergency admission is co-ordinated with the National Police, Red Cross and Fire Brigade. Ecuadorian public hospitals are often poorly resourced. Critically ill patients, and/or unidentified people, are admitted immediately to the emergency unit, where the social service department of the hospital will arrange exoneration of any payments.

Travel insurance will usually cover unexpected medical treatment, however, check the small print of your insurance to see what is and what is not covered before travelling.

Remarks: A "mandatory road accident insurance policy" (SOAT) was introduced in 2008. It is an insurance for road accident victims, to cover medical expenses up to US$2500; hospital transport expenses of injured people up to US$50; disability compensation up to US$3000; death compensation up to US$5000 and funeral expenses up to US$400. If a car or bus has not been insured with SOAT, there is a joint fund called "FONSAT" that guarantees that everybody is covered by the road accident insurance policy. These insurance systems therefore guarantee that every road accident victim is provided with immediate medical assistance either in a public or private hospital, without having to pay any deposit, in addition to the above compensation amounts.

MENTAL ILLNESS

Facilities for dealing with mental illness vary widely around the world. In some countries there are not enough resources, in others expensive privately-run clinics are the only real option and, in some places, people with mental illness may be detained by the police instead of being admitted to hospital.

• If you are mentally ill and want our help, we will do our best to make sure you receive medical help and advice, wherever you are. But we cannot provide this help and advice ourselves.
• If you have run out of a prescribed medication we can give you information on getting supplies locally. You should be aware, however, that in some countries your medication might be banned or unavailable.
• If you want, we can contact your family and friends in the UK.
• If necessary, we can help local medical staff contact medical staff in the UK who may be able to advise on your medical history and who may be the most appropriate people to offer continued support if you return to the UK.
• You may find that your insurance policy does not cover mental illness, or is not valid because you did not declare a pre-existing condition. In these cases, you or your family must expect to pay for any treatment.

Private psychiatric hospitals/clinics in Quito

There are few public resources in Ecuador for dealing with mental illness, privately-run clinics are the better option.

• Clínica Psiquiátrica “Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe” (Avenue 10 de Agosto N27-101 y Selva Alegre – Quito.  Tel. +593 2 2521 137)

• Clínica de Recuperación Psíquica (Veintimilla y Avenue 12 de Octubre, Edificio El Girón, Torre W, Piso 7 – Quito.  Tel. +593 2 2500 451. Mobile: +593 9 7104 060)

• "Instituto Sagrado Corazon de Jesus" semi-private clinic (Avenue Manuel Cordova Galarza -Quito.  Tel. +593 2 2490 860 / 2492 055.  Fax +593 2 2498 330.  Email: ipsc_interactive.net.ec)

Public psychiatric hospitals/clinics in Quito

There are a couple of public psychiatric hospitals, poorly resourced and with no English speaking staff.

• Hospital Psiquiátrico San Lázaro (Bahia y Ambato, Sector 24 de Mayo – Quito.  Tel. +593 2 281 336 / 2286 944)

• Hospital Psiquiátrico Julio Endra M (Autopista General Rumiñahui y Ciudadela Hospitalaria – Conocoto.  Tel. +593 2 2349 578 /  2342 651 / 2348 804)

The British Embassy can provide a short list of English speaking Psychiatrists in Quito, but cannot recommend any particular one.