The Foreign Office has updated its guidance for Turkey amid a surge in "medical tourism", as people travel there from the UK to have surgical and dental treatment.
People are being warned to carry out extensive research before travelling to Turkey for any procedures after the government department said it was aware of 22 British nationals who have died in Turkey since January 2019 following medical tourism visits.
Advice on Gov.uk states: "Cosmetic surgery, dental procedures and cardiac surgery are the most common procedures that medical tourists undertake.
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"The standard of medical facilities and available treatments vary widely around the world. As such, British nationals considering undertaking medical treatment in Turkey should carry out their own research; it is unwise to rely upon private companies that have a financial interest in arranging your medical treatment abroad."
Anyone planning on travelling to Turkey for medical treatment is urged to consult the HealthTurkiye portal website for medical providers who are approved by the Ministry of Health.
Earlier this year, dental experts warned of "hidden" dangers posed by those who travel abroad for cheaper treatments. Tens of thousands of people flock to hotspots such as Turkey, Hungary, Poland and Spain to get dental procedures each year.
Dr Azad Eyrumlu, CEO of private dental firm Banning Dental Group, said: “Many people don’t properly consider the risks of having complex procedures in a foreign country where standards may not be as high as the UK and there may be a severe lack of aftercare. Very few countries in the world have dental care as regulated as in the UK.
“Complex dental procedures often require a lot of aftercare and fine-tuning, which can be difficult to do if you have to travel hundreds of miles for each appointment. Many treatments need time for the body to heal such as with dental implants and it is not something that can be finished on a holiday.
“If something goes wrong, it can prove almost impossible for a patient to find an NHS dentist willing to take on the challenge of correcting it because of the complexities of the system here."
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