In a life-threatening medical emergency anywhere at Heathrow, dial 999 as you would anywhere in the UK, or tell the nearest member of Heathrow staff or security straight away - they can summon paramedics directly rather than you waiting for an ambulance to be called from outside. Heathrow has run its own on-site emergency medical response for passengers and staff for decades, including a dedicated cycle-based paramedic unit that patrols the terminals. For non-urgent help, every terminal has staff and help points that can direct you to first aid or further support. Checked against heathrow.com, 2026.
What to Do in a Medical Emergency at Heathrow
If you or someone near you needs urgent medical help:
- Call 999 if you can, the same as anywhere else in the UK, and say you're at Heathrow Airport and which terminal.
- Alert any member of Heathrow staff, security or an airline representative immediately - they are able to call the airport's own emergency response and get you faster help than waiting outside, since trained first responders are based on site.
- Head to or ask for the nearest help point if you need assistance but it isn't an emergency - these are located throughout every terminal and are also the standard contact point for passengers who need mobility or medical assistance.
First Aid and Paramedic Response at Heathrow
Heathrow has operated its own London Ambulance Service "Cycle Response Unit" for well over a decade: paramedics patrol the terminals by bicycle so they can reach a medical incident faster than a vehicle could through terminal corridors and forecourts. This is a long-running, airport-specific program, confirmed by Heathrow's own news coverage of the unit's anniversaries, and it exists alongside the standard ambulance response available to anywhere in the UK.
Heathrow staff across the terminals also receive first aid training as part of the airport's health and safety programme, so a member of staff or security you flag down is generally able to give basic first aid or get a trained responder to you quickly while an ambulance is on the way, if one is needed.
Defibrillators (AEDs) at Heathrow
Heathrow has installed public-access defibrillators across its terminals for many years, as part of the same emergency response programme as the cycle paramedic unit. We were not able to confirm a current, airport-wide count of defibrillators for 2026 from Heathrow's own site, so we're not publishing an exact figure here; older figures exist but predate terminal changes (including the closure of the original Terminal 1) and shouldn't be relied on as current. If you need to find the nearest defibrillator in an emergency, ask any member of staff or security immediately rather than searching for one yourself - they will know the closest unit and can also call for paramedics in parallel.
Is There a Medical Centre at Heathrow for Passengers?
Heathrow's own help and assistance pages don't publish a single, clearly public-facing "passenger medical centre" with posted opening hours and a terminal-by-terminal address, the way they do for facilities like pharmacies or post offices. For that reason, we're not listing specific medical centre locations or hours here. If you need medical attention that isn't a 999 emergency, the fastest route is the same as above: tell airport staff, security or your airline, who can direct you to on-site medical support appropriate to your situation.
Travelling With a Known Medical Condition or Device
If you use a medical device such as a pacemaker, insulin pump or stoma bag, or have a condition staff should know about, Heathrow's guidance is to tell security staff when you arrive at the checkpoint; they handle these situations routinely and will adjust the screening process rather than require you to remove the device. If you think you'll need any kind of assistance getting through the airport because of a medical condition or mobility issue, contact your airline at least 48 hours before you fly so Heathrow can have the right support ready; see our full guide to booking special assistance at Heathrow for how that process works and what it covers.
If you have a hidden disability or a condition that isn't visible, Heathrow's Sunflower lanyard scheme is designed to quietly signal to staff that you may need a little extra time or support; see our guide to the Heathrow Sunflower lanyard scheme for how to get one and what it does.
Medication, Pharmacies and Travel Insurance
If you need to buy over-the-counter medication, a travel-size replacement for a liquid you can't carry through security, or speak to a pharmacist, each terminal has pharmacy provision; see our guide to Heathrow's pharmacy locations by terminal for exactly where to find one and what they stock.
Heathrow's own on-site response covers getting you help at the airport itself, not the cost of any treatment, repatriation or missed travel that can follow a medical emergency away from home. If you're flying internationally, check you have valid travel insurance before you go; see our guide on whether you need travel insurance for a flight from Heathrow for what it typically covers.