Alarming new figures have exposed the multi-million-pound burden that so-called medical tourism is placing on the NHS, with the health service spending up to £20,000 per patient to treat complications from botched procedures performed overseas.
The High Cost of 'Bargain' Surgery
An audit published in the British Medical Journal has revealed that at least 655 patients required NHS treatment between 2011 and 2024 after suffering complications from bariatric, cosmetic, or eye surgery abroad. The most common destination was Turkey, a hotspot for cut-price procedures.
Researchers warn that this growing trend is creating a significant and largely avoidable strain on NHS resources, with problems often emerging days or weeks after patients return to the UK. The analysis excluded emergency cancer care, fertility treatment, and transplants, focusing solely on elective surgeries gone wrong.
The study's authors stressed that the true financial impact is likely far greater than current estimates, due to gaps in national data on how many UK residents seek surgery abroad and subsequent complications. 'We still do not know how many people resident in the UK go abroad for elective surgery, or how many subsequently experience complications,' they stated.
Serious Complications and Personal Tragedies
Patients are often lured by the prospect of low upfront costs, with procedures like gastric sleeve surgery advertised for as little as £2,000 in Turkey, compared to around £10,000 privately in the UK. Long NHS waiting lists and ineligibility for certain procedures also drive the trend.
However, many return with severe, debilitating issues requiring prolonged NHS care. The audit found at least 196 patients experienced moderate to severe complications following overseas gastric sleeve surgery, breast enlargement, or tummy tucks.
Common problems included:
- Debilitating abdominal pain and bowel obstructions.
- Hernias and dangerous weight regain.
- Life-threatening blood clots needing urgent intervention.
- In some cases, flesh-eating bacterial infections.
The human cost is even starker. According to the Foreign Office, at least 25 Brits have died following medical tourism trips to Turkey since January 2019. Victims include:
- Leah Cambridge, 29, who died from a blood clot during a Brazilian Butt Lift in 2018.
- Shannon Bowe, 28, who died during gastric band surgery in April 2023.
- Melissa Kerr, 31, who died from a blocked lung artery after a BBL in 2019.
- Abimbola Ajoke Bamgbose, 38, a mother-of-three who died from peritonitis after liposuction in 2020.
A Call for Awareness and Clearer Guidance
The financial toll on the NHS is substantial. Researchers estimated the cost of treating each patient ranged from £1,058 for minor issues to £19,549 for severe cases in 2024, figures they believe are a significant underestimate.
The authors have called for public awareness campaigns to ensure patients fully understand the risks and the potential lack of NHS aftercare before travelling. They warned: 'Those seeking medical treatment abroad should be made aware of which complications the NHS is responsible for treating, and costs for which the patient may be potentially personally liable.'
The NHS currently advises those considering bariatric surgery abroad to carefully weigh potential savings against risks, noting that standards may be lower and aftercare 'not always straightforward'. With clinics in Turkey advertising controversial procedures like 15-litre liposuction and eye-colour-changing lasers, experts urge caution.
Without better data and clearer patient information, the study concludes, the NHS will continue to bear the heavy cost of this dangerous and expanding catalogue of surgical complications.
