Why UK Media’s Attacks on Turkish Healthcare Tourism Serve Self-Interest Over Public Interest

Turkish healthcare tourism has surged in recent years, with thousands of Britons flying abroad for procedures such as rhinoplasty, BBLs, hair transplants, and gender-affirming surgery. But as demand has grown, so too has negative coverage in the UK media—coverage that often fails to reflect the full picture.

Despite the headlines, Turkish private healthcare often matches UK standards. Many surgeons are EU-certified, clinics are internationally accredited, and complication rates are comparable to those in Britain. However, British media reports rarely acknowledge this. Instead, horror stories dominate—while domestic failures go unexamined. The imbalance is no accident.

The NHS has cut access to surgeries once easily available as standard, including rhinoplasty even for structural issues, offering cheaper alternatives that address breathing difficulties without rhinoplasty. Many surgeries are now reclassified as cosmetic. As a result, patients either go without or seek costly private options. Hospitals like Gözde in İzmir offer these procedures for £2,000–£4,000—less than 3 to 4 fold decrease from UK prices. For working-class patients, it’s the only viable route to treatment.

In Morocco, prices are even lower, but standards are less consistent. Unlike Turkey, Moroccan clinics often lack EU-level certifications or oversight. This nuance is often lost in UK coverage, which lumps all foreign clinics together under the same “high-risk” banner.

Gender-affirming care is another area where Turkey plays a crucial role. Surgeons like Dr Mehmet Fatih Okyay in Antalya help British trans women access safe, affordable procedures denied or delayed in the UK. His results—widely shared online—show outcomes that meet or exceed expectations, where patients often look indistinguishable from cisgender women. For many, this is not cosmetic but essential care. Without it, the consequences are serious: trans women unable to complete their transition face mental health risks, social isolation, and poverty. Yet this side of the story is missing from most UK reports.

Instead, the media often recycles sponsored content from UK clinics—advertorials disguised as health warnings. These promote British providers while casting doubt on foreign care, driven more by profit than public safety. Meanwhile, bad outcomes at UK clinics remain largely invisible. Yes, there are risks in medical tourism. A UK audit found a 35% rise in complications from overseas procedures in 2022. BAAPS, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, and NHS surgeons have rightly urged patients to vet clinics carefully. But these warnings are often used to discredit all foreign providers, not just the unsafe ones. Turkish doctors argue they are being unfairly targeted in what amounts to protectionist media coverage.

Surveys show 87% of Turkish rhinoplasty patients are satisfied, with fewer than 5% needing further surgery. Clinics offer all-in-one packages, with post-op care, transfers and accommodation—something few UK providers do. Turkey is now seen alongside Thailand, Poland, and South Korea as a hub for modern, affordable care.

If UK media were serious about public health, the focus would be on improving NHS access and regulating domestic private care—not smearing foreign providers. A shift towards universal access which funds gender-affirming treatment and qualifying cosmetic pressures as a right, not a luxury. Until then, many patients will continue to travel, not recklessly—but out of necessity, voting with their feet—and their wallets.

References

Eva Wiseman, “Medical tourism is booming. But is it a price worth paying?”, The Guardian, 22 September 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/22/medical-tourism-is-booming-but-is-it-a-price-worth-paying

Nicola Davis, “Britons seeking medical treatments overseas ‘should beware low prices’”, The Guardian, 29 June 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jun/29/britons-seeking-medical-treatments-overseas-should-beware-low-prices

British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, “Annual Cosmetic Surgery Audit warns of rise in cosmetic tourism complications”, BAAPS, 15 March 2023, https://baaps.org.uk/about/news/1876/as_complications_from_cosmetic_tourism_rise_uk_and_turkish_plastic_surgeons_unite_to_issue_consumer_guidelines/

Turkish Healthcare Tourism Association, “Rhinoplasty In Turkey 2025: Save 70% Vs US/UK & Top Surgeons”, HayatMed, 2025, https://www.hayatmed.com/rhinoplasty-nose-job/

DrVisor, “Rhinoplasty in Turkey: A Comprehensive Guide with Statistical Insights”, DrVisor, 12 March 2025, https://www.drvisor.com/blogs/news/rhinoplasty-in-turkey-a-comprehensive-guide-with-statistical-insights