Overseas health

01   Kenya (BATUK)

The British Army and Defence Medical Service (DMS) where possible, endeavour to provide Service personnel and their families with appropriate and equivalent levels of health, educational and welfare support when assigned overseas. The British Army and DMS give maternity and neonatal care the utmost priority and if the support and care is not equivalent to that given in the UK the pregnant family member or Servicewoman may need to be returned to the UK for their delivery.

This is the case for British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) and current policy 2026DIN01-072 Healthcare Provision for BRITISH FORCES in British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK)  Directory of Local Health Services and Medical Screening Advice states:

21. In 2025, DG DMS recommended Kenya remained a non-confinement country. This reflects risk/benefit considerations and aligns MOD and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) policy which states, ‘… overarching FCDO healthcare policy default is that routine, non-urgent secondary care, or care requiring long-term or complex specialist treatment takes place in the UK. Pregnancy and Birth fits into this category of care.’ If Command and the pregnant woman (EFM) elect to deviate from this recommendation, a multi-agency meeting and individual patient risk assessment (IRA) must be undertaken to assess and articulate the medical and medico-legal risk of any proposed courses of action.

Once you know you are pregnant in and assigned to BATUK you are advised to speak with one of the Nyati Medical Centre GPs as soon as possible. On confirmation of a viable intrauterine pregnancy an individual risk assessment will be undertaken and a care plan will proposed and arranged. This process will include subject matter experts including the Defence Consultant Advisors (DCAs) in obstetrics and gynaecology and paediatrics. Due to the medical risk and lack of NHS equivalent care in this location, it is very likely that the medical advice will be that you are required to return to the UK. In line with FCDO policy if your home is not in the UK, then you should be offered the option of returning to your home country for confinement.

Infants can move back to Kenya at the age of three months as long as they have completed the first two phases of the NHS vaccination schedule with Yellow Fever vaccination at nine months of age.

Please contact the Health & Additional Needs team at healthsupport@aff.org.uk or the Overseas team on overseassupport@aff.org.uk for more information.

02   Germany

For information on health and dental services in Germany, please visit Germany Enabling Office: Medical & Dental

03   British Forces Cyprus (BFC)

For advice and information on the medical treatment and local health services available in BFC you are advised to read Defence Instructions and Notices (DIN) 2021DIN01-079 – Healthcare Provision in British Forces Cyprus (BFC) – Directory of Local Health Services and Medical Screening Advice. In Annex A of this DIN there is a table that details the medical treatment that is unlikely to be available in BFC.

Treatment of non-entitled patients in BFC

It is important to remember that there is no provision to offer free medical and dental facilities treatment for visitors to the British Forces/MOD civilian personnel serving in Cyprus. It is essential that all visitors obtain adequate medical insurance cover before they arrive in Cyprus. EU travellers should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which should provide healthcare cover within the Cypriot health care system.

American Medical Center (AMC)

If you need hospital care whilst posted to Cyprus you will be treated at the American Medical Center (AMC).

There are two clinics, one in Limassol and one in Nicosia. Outpatient treatment for people living in Akrotiri or Episkopi will mostly be in the clinic in Limassol. Those living in Ayios Nikolaos or Dhekelia will go to the AMC in Nicosia for the majority of appointments.

It is quite a journey to the AMC, but a bus from camp is provided for those with appointments.

04   Overseas Health Insurance Cards

If you already have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) it will remain valid until the expiry date shown. You can apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) up to six months before that date.

As a member of the Armed Forces you can apply for your first UK GHIC online if you have a National Insurance number and a UK or BFPO address.

If you are overseas at a BFPO address you must select that you live in the UK when entering your address in the application. Further detailed guidance is here: Armed Forces GHIC application and guidance

If someone in the family already has a GHIC you can simply add more family members. Children must be under 18 years old at the time of application and you must be their legal guardian.

If you do not satisfy the above criteria you can still apply but you will need to contact the helpdesk via an online form

Important considerations:

• The NHS GHIC is a free service, be wary of unofficial sites which charge.
• Every family member needs their own card. To apply online you need the National Insurance number for all those aged 16 and over.
• Currently you can only use a UK GHIC or existing EHIC whilst visiting an EU country or Switzerland.
• The UK GHIC and UK EHIC allows you to have state provided emergency healthcare in Europe. It may not cover all health costs and repatriation. EHIC and GHIC do not replace travel insurance so make sure you have appropriate travel insurance with health cover for any pre-existing conditions before you travel. Read advice on buying travel insurance with the right cover.