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.

IN FULL

Complications from medical tourism costs the NHS £20,000 per patient, study says