Charles Taylor Assistance says demand for medical repatriations has almost doubled in the past year. It put the increase down to the fact that more travellers with multiple health conditions were able to secure travel insurance and go ahead with their international trips.

Charles Taylor Assistance said the more complex medical needs of claimants as well as the difficulty of finding hospital beds for those being repatriated had made the assistance market more challenging.

Dr Lynn Gordon, chief medical officer at Charles Taylor Assistance, said: “We’re seeing a sicker demographic of travellers, with more older people travelling, often to destinations with limited medical facilities.

“In this context, it’s more important than ever for repatriation providers to offer joined up medical and logistical expertise to overcome repatriation challenges."