According to analysis, taxpayers in the UK have spent a record £1.7 million on rectifying cosmetic surgery procedures performed abroad. The cost of treating some of the most severe cases, where patients “should never have gone under the knife”, reached an astonishing £100,000. The availability of cheap flights to Turkey has made it a popular destination for Brits seeking affordable cosmetic procedures. However, concerns are growing about the practices used in Turkey and other countries, as the number of horror stories from patients who have travelled overseas continues to rise.
British cosmetic surgeons have accused their Turkish counterparts of relying on the NHS as a taxpayer-funded safety net for poor aftercare. An audit by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) reveals that 111 Brits required emergency NHS care after returning from countries like Turkey in 2022. The rising number of botched cosmetic surgeries performed abroad has resulted in an increasing multi-million pound bill for the NHS.
The surgeons reported that their patients were enticed by the appeal of “bargain” tummy tucks and boob jobs. Many of these patients were deemed unsuitable for surgery in the UK due to their health conditions. However, they were left with severe complications, including flesh-eating bacterial infections and implants protruding through their skin. Some patients developed life-threatening blood clots that required immediate NHS treatment shortly after returning to the UK.
In 2022, the number of cases was 35% higher than the previous year, likely due to a surge in demand after pandemic-related travel restrictions were lifted. The cost of treating each botched patient is estimated to be at least £15,000, covering staff wages, medications, equipment, and ongoing care. However, complex cases that require multiple corrective surgeries can cost over £100,000.
Last year’s total expenditure of £1.7 million adds to the £4.8 million spent by taxpayers since 2017 to fix failed cosmetic procedures. One particularly horrifying case involved a 60-year-old woman who required approximately £100,000 of taxpayer-funded emergency care. The woman had a tummy tuck and liposuction in Turkey, resulting in a dangerous blood infection, rotting tissue on her abdomen, and a potentially life-threatening blood clot in her lung. This case, among others, has raised concerns among surgeons about the risks patients are exposed to and the disregard for their well-being.
Dr. Charles Durrant, a consultant plastic surgeon, expressed his anger at the situation, emphasizing the risks taken with the lives of patients with pre-existing health conditions. Another patient mistakenly received full-body liposuction instead of a minor revision procedure, leading to dangerous blood loss and the need for an emergency transfusion upon returning to the UK. Dr. Durrant believes that some Turkish surgeons deliberately rely on the NHS as their aftercare service, ultimately costing the health service an exorbitant amount.
These figures are likely only the tip of the iceberg, as many cases may go unreported or treated by surgeons other than those affiliated with BAAPS. The charity organization urges individuals to think twice before undergoing surgery abroad, emphasizing that the low cost may not outweigh the potential risks and lack of aftercare.
Labour MP Kevan Jones has called for action from the government to address the issue of surgeons in Turkey performing subpar surgeries on British patients. The cost of fixing botched surgeries and the disregard for patient safety are deemed unacceptable. There is a need for proper record-keeping to accurately gauge the scale of the problem.
The rising costs associated with correcting failed surgeries are a cause for concern among taxpayers. With a struggling NHS and inadequate funding, it is worrisome that the bill for botched procedures performed abroad falls on the NHS. Campaigners, including Dawn Knight, continue to raise awareness of the dangers and urge the government to take action.
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