Britons should resist the temptation to have cosmetic surgery abroad at “rock-bottom prices” in case they are harmed by substandard care, the Health Secretary has said.
Wes Streeting spoke out after a spate of deaths among women who had traveled to Turkey for aesthetic treatment such as a Brazilian butt lift (BBL).
This emerged from an inquest this week in Winchester, Hampshire Hayley DowelThe 38-year-old died in October last year after paying £7,000 for the procedure, as well as liposuction and a tummy tuck.
“My strong advice to British travelers is: if the offer seems too good to be true, I suspect it is too good to be true,” Streeting said. “(People should) think very carefully before flying abroad, and paying a seemingly attractive price, because you could end up paying the consequences for years due to injuries, which in the worst case could be life-changing.
“So before I travel abroad, I would urge you to think very carefully before accessing cosmetic treatments that are currently marketed at rock-bottom prices, but which in too many cases also provide substandard care.”
Streeting plans to collaborate with organizations abroad to improve the safety and quality of care in hospitals and clinics that offer medical tourism. “But we also need to send a strong message to the British public to manage the risks, do their homework and think very carefully before taking up offers that are too good to be true.”
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, also urged caution, citing the additional pressure that treating victims of botched cosmetic treatments abroad places on the NHS.
“It’s not fair that the NHS has to pick up the pieces of failed Brazilian butt lifts. Not only are they potentially fatal, having the highest mortality rate of any cosmetic procedure, but unreliable procedures mean the NHS then has to repair the damage, leaving the taxpayer with a hefty bill,” he said.
“NHS resources are precious, and I would urge anyone considering a BBL to think twice before taking up an offer that seems too good to be true.”
British government officials met with colleagues in Turkey last year after concerns were raised about the death of Melissa Kerr31, during a BBL procedure, which is intended to enlarge a person’s buttocks.
The coroner who presided over the inquest into her death ruled that she had not received enough information to make a safe decision about the procedure before going to Istanbul.
Figures from the British Association of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons show that Turkey is by far the most popular destination for Brits undergoing cosmetic surgery abroad, with 69% of patients going there. Other countries include the Dominican Republic (7%), Brazil (6%) and Tunisia (4%).
The spate of deaths has prompted the Royal College of Surgeons of England to convene a summit to improve patient safety.
“After years of inaction from officials, we are now convening an urgent meeting with experts from health, advertising and trade authorities, along with foreign governments, to address this growing crisis,” said Prof. Vivien Lees, a consultant plastic surgeon and vice president of the university. -president.
Lees said ministers could help by ensuring that the council’s existing cosmetic surgery certification scheme, which helps patients choose approved cosmetic surgeons for their treatment, becomes mandatory rather than voluntary as is currently the case.