Britons warned of dangers of cut-price surgery abroad

Wes Streeting has promised to protect Britons travelling abroad for Brazilian butt lifts (BBLS) and other cosmetic surgeries.

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

After several deaths linked to the treatments, the health secretary said he would work to improve the safety of those going to Turkey and elsewhere for procedures including BBLs and tummy tucks.

He warned British travellers seeking cut-price surgeries to think carefully before taking up offers that are “too good to be true”.

And Mr Streeting said: “I think we need to take very seriously this issue of medical negligence and malpractice overseas.”

It comes after several women lost their lives in the last few years after travelling to Turkey for discounted surgery.

Mr Streeting added: “My strong advice to British travellers is if the offer looks too good to be true, I suspect it is too good to be true, and think very carefully before flying overseas, paying what looks like a kind of rock-bottom attractive price, because you may end up paying the consequences for years to come as a result of injuries, which in the worst cases can be life-changing.

“I’m determined to work with international partners to try and improve safety for Brits abroad.

“But we also need to send a strong message to the British public to manage the risks, to do their homework and think very carefully before taking up offers that are too good to be true.”