Now 65,000patients head abroad for ops

SOARING numbers of people are travelling abroad for treatment to beat NHS waiting lists, experts say.

At least 65,000 patients are now going overseas for surgery and other procedures each year – twice as many as a decade ago.

One of the most popular destinations is Poland, for cataract treatment, as well as Spain, where couples are going for IVF.

Medical professionals also say young women are increasingly travelling to countries such as Thailand and Turkey for cheap cosmetic surgery, including tummy tucks and breast implants.

Many are combining the trip with a holiday, so they can recover in the sun while avoiding awkward questions back home.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics estimate that 65,000 patients went abroad for treatment in 2013, paying a combined £129.3million. A decade ago, the figure was around 32,000 a year. The head of one firm, which arranges overseas treatment, said there was a growing demand for those wanting cataract surgery, hip and knee replacements and IVF.

All of these procedures are deemed ‘non-urgent’ on the NHS and so have long waiting times or are no longer offered at all.

Ugur Samut, chief executive of Medigo, said the number of queries for all types of treatment had trebled in the last six months. ‘We believe demand has increased recently due to longer waiting lists and postcode lotteries for some procedures on the NHS.’

He said for his patients, Poland was the most popular destination, with many travelling there for cataract surgery.

Hungary is the second most common, mainly for dental procedures which are expensive in England and where patients have to pay even for NHS treatment.

Spain is popular for couples seeking IVF, Thailand for laser eye surgery and Turkey for lipo- suction, the removal of body fat.

Barry Wilson, 60, from Birmingham, went to a private clinic in Poland last July for cataract surgery after being told he would have to wait eight months on the NHS.

The entire trip including flights, hotels and the treatment cost less than £1,000.

He said: ‘It’s very daunting to travel to another country for surgery. My surgeon put me at ease at my consultation. I would return again, with no worries.’

But Keith Pollard of website Treatment Abroad, which offers advice to patients going overseas, said the rise was mainly driven by adults wanting cosmetic surgery.

He said: ‘One reason is the increase in disposable income, people are prepared to spend more on cosmetic surgery.

‘The other is that it has become more socially acceptable to travel abroad for treatment.’

Nonetheless, hospital waiting lists in England are at a six-year high, with almost 12,000 patients facing delays of at least six months for routine operations.

The figures for treatment abroad are from the ONS’s annual International Passenger Survey, in which 250,000 people from England and Wales are interviewed.