What are the risks of cosmetic surgery in Turkey?

Risks include severe complications like infections, blood clots, bowel perforations, and even death, often requiring extensive NHS treatment upon return.

How much does botched overseas surgery cost the NHS?

Complications from overseas surgeries can cost the NHS up to £20,000 per patient, with an estimated 655 cases documented recently.

Why do people travel abroad for surgery like gastric sleeves?

People travel for lower costs, longer NHS waiting lists, or because they are ineligible for NHS procedures, but often lack adequate aftercare information.

Home / Health / Botched Surgeries Cost NHS Thousands Per Patient

Botched Surgeries Cost NHS Thousands Per Patient

14 Jan

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Summary

Overseas cosmetic surgery complications cost NHS up to £20,000 per patient.
Turkey is a common destination for these risky, cut-price procedures.
Dozens of patients returned with severe complications requiring NHS treatment.

Botched Surgeries Cost NHS Thousands Per Patient

An audit reveals that UK patients undergoing cosmetic, eye, or weight-loss surgery abroad, commonly in Turkey, are costing the NHS up to £20,000 each due to complications. Researchers identified 655 patients treated by the NHS between 2011 and 2024 for issues arising from overseas procedures.

These patients often returned with severe complications, including infections, hernias, and life-threatening blood clots, necessitating urgent and expensive NHS intervention. The study excludes emergency and cancer care, suggesting the true financial burden on the NHS may be considerably higher.

The trend is fueled by factors like long NHS waiting lists and lower upfront costs abroad. However, many patients are reportedly not fully informed about the risks or the lack of NHS aftercare, leading to preventable health crises and significant public healthcare expenditure.