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Complications of weight loss while traveling abroad surgery and cosmetics surgery may cost NHS Up to £20,000 per patient.
Popularization of medical care travel increasing by only hundreds of thousands British people traveling abroad For reduced-price surgery. Experts warn that the industry is Patient’s life is at risk and in Regulation is urgently needed.
But if complications arise after surgery, patients may have difficulty getting follow-up support. Therefore, the responsibility for “cleaning up the mess” often falls on the health authorities of the home country.
Professor Vivien Lees, Vice-President of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS England), said: “People are often lured by cut-price deals and glossy online marketing, only to develop serious and sometimes life-changing complications.” independent.
She added: “While many overseas healthcare providers provide high-quality care, gaps in regulation, aftercare and accountability make this a significant patient safety issue.”
For research published in open access journals BMJ Openreviewed 90 relevant studies published between 2012 and December 2024, as well as conference proceedings, discussion papers, editorials, and government, industry, and agency reports.
Studies describing cases of emergency and emergency surgeries abroad; cancer, infertility and dental treatments; and transplant surgeries were excluded from the analysis.
More than half of the 655 patients treated NHS Case reports show that between 2022 and 2024, the patient underwent surgery for weight loss complications, also known as bariatric surgery. The remainder (265 cases) had cosmetic surgeries such as breast augmentation and “tummy tucks,” and only five had eye surgery.
Countries from all continents listed as medical destinations travelbut turkey is the most common destination, listed as a destination in 61% of studies.
Although no deaths were reported in the study, more than half of the patients experienced moderate to severe complications.
However, most studies did not explicitly report treatments for these conditions, and only 14 studies reported associated costs, which ranged from £1058 to £19,549 per patient at 2024 prices.
Medical tourism is worth over $400bn (£300bn) a year and is expected to grow by 25% year-on-year.
For example, patients seeking bariatric surgery are often lured abroad by cut-price deals and before-and-after pictures posted on social media. The out-of-pocket cost of such surgery privately in the UK is around £10,000 to £15,000, but in the following countries it costs around £2,500 to £4,500 turkey.
“We still don’t know how many UK residents travel abroad for elective surgery, or how many subsequently develop complications. Without this data, we cannot fully understand the level of risk experienced by people seeking surgery abroad,” the study authors stress.
“Awareness-raising campaigns and interventions are necessary to educate the British public considering traveling abroad for surgery about the potential for complications,” they added.
They advise: “Those seeking medical treatment abroad should understand what complications the NHS is responsible for treating and the personal costs that patients may be responsible for, including the cost of non-urgent treatment.”
Professor Lees said the study’s findings highlighted the need for reliable national data to understand how many people were affected.
“When something goes wrong, the NHS is often left to pick up the pieces in an emergency without full information about what is being done or who is doing it. This puts patients at risk and adds avoidable pressure to already stretched services,” she said.
“The NHS’s role should not be to routinely correct the mistakes of overseas private providers and we encourage the government to continue to put pressure on foreign providers and other governments, including by covering the costs of complications that occur in their countries.”
“Better public information, including establishing the UK Government’s partnership with TikTok, and improved data collection are vital to protecting patients and the NHS.”
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Too many people are also lured overseas for cheap cosmetic surgery only to develop life-changing complications when they return home, which, as this report shows, end up costing the NHS thousands of pounds.
“We have launched a major campaign to combat dangerous medical tourism and raise awareness of the risks it poses.
“The UK government has been actively working with overseas governments on how to support the safety of patients who decide to travel for medical treatment and will update its guidance in due course.”