Individuals who need to journey overseas for beauty surgical procedure like Brazilian butt lifts (BBL) must be weary about affords that appear “too good to be true”, the well being secretary has warned.
Wes Streeting stated his “strong advice” to the British public is that they need to “think carefully” concerning the dangers earlier than choosing “rock bottom prices” abroad.
A number of ladies have misplaced their lives in the previous couple of years after travelling to Turkey for cut-price surgical procedure – with the Royal School of Surgeons to carry a gathering on the “growing crisis” subsequent month.
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Mr Streeting stated: “I think we need to take very seriously this issue of medical negligence and malpractice overseas.
“My sturdy recommendation to British travellers is that if the provide appears to be like too good to be true, I think it’s too good to be true, and assume very rigorously earlier than flying abroad, paying what appears to be like like a sort of all-time low engaging worth, as a result of you might find yourself paying the results for years to come back because of accidents, which within the worst instances might be life-changing.”
The cabinet minister said he was “decided to work with worldwide companions to attempt to enhance security for Brits overseas”.
“However we additionally must ship a robust message to the British public to handle the dangers, to do their homework and assume very rigorously earlier than taking on affords which might be too good to be true,” he added.
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Mr Streeting is urging the general public to ‘assume very rigorously’ about low-cost remedies
Requested whether or not the NHS must be choosing up the items when issues go improper, he stated: “We’re never going to turn people away who are in need of care but this is another pressure the NHS doesn’t need.
“So I might urge Brits – earlier than travelling overseas – to assume very rigorously earlier than accessing these beauty remedies which might be presently being marketed at all-time low costs.”
Overseas Workplace information reveals that not less than six British individuals died in Turkey in 2023 after travelling overseas for medical procedures.
Total, 28 British nationals have died within the nation following deliberate surgical procedure since 2019, the info reveals.
Learn Extra:Lady taken to hospital after botched Brazilian butt liftBritish lady’s loss of life after ‘Brazilian butt carry’ in Turkey prompts coroner’s warningThe value of low-cost cosmetic surgery overseas
Victims embody Hayley Dowell, 38, who suffered medical problems at a non-public clinic and died after she had a Brazilian butt carry, tummy tuck and liposuction in Turkey in October final yr, a current inquest heard.
Janet Lynne Savage, 54, from Bangor, additionally died after main artery trauma throughout a gastric sleeve weight reduction process in Turkey in 2023, a coroner stated.
Specialists’ pressing assembly
The Royal School of Surgeons stated it was holding a gathering early subsequent month to search out options to unacceptable requirements of remedy overseas, which the Division of Well being and the Turkish and Lithuanian embassies have been invited to.
The group’s vice chairman, Professor Vivien Lees, stated: “After years of inaction from officials, we are now convening an urgent meeting with experts across health, advertising and trade authorities, together with foreign governments, to address this growing crisis.”
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Stephen Powis, the NHS’s nationwide medical director, stated Brazilian butt lifts – the place fats is transferred to a affected person’s bum from different components of their physique – “have the highest death rate among all cosmetic procedures”.
Echoing Mr Streeting’s language, he added: “Dodgy tweakments and surgeries are leaving the NHS to repair the damage and taxpayers to foot the bill.
“I might urge anybody contemplating a BBL to assume twice earlier than taking on a proposal that appears too good to be true.”
As well as deaths among Britons, the Foreign Office said some people “have additionally skilled problems and wanted additional remedy or surgical procedure following their process”.
It stated anybody contemplating travelling to Turkey for remedy ought to talk about the plans with their very own physician or dentist, including that “private companies have a financial interest in booking your treatment and their literature should not be your only source of information”.
The federal government additionally warned that it could not usually be capable to assist individuals caught overseas due to prices and problems related to beauty surgical procedure as “planned medical treatment is considered a commercial arrangement”.
