Complications from medical tourism costs the NHS £20,000 per patient, study says
NHS faces £20k bill per patient for overseas plastic surgery complications
- Complications arising from Britons travelling abroad for cut-price weight-loss and cosmetic surgery are costing the NHS up to £20,000 per patient.
- The medical tourism industry, valued at over £300 billion annually, sees hundreds of thousands of UK residents seeking procedures overseas, often lured by cheap deals.
- A study reviewing cases between 2022 and 2024 found that over half of 655 NHS-treated patients experienced complications from bariatric surgery, with Turkey being the most cited destination.
- Experts, including the Royal College of Surgeons of England, warn that gaps in regulation, aftercare, and accountability in overseas providers pose significant patient safety risks.
- There are calls for improved data collection, public awareness campaigns, and government action to hold foreign providers accountable and alleviate pressure on the NHS.