To think that those who go abroad for cheap cosmetic surgery should insure themselves...

[jemenfous37]

...so that when it all goes wrong, which it inevitably does, the NHS isn't left with the repair bill.

Eveyone moans that the NHS is underfunded, many happily blame migrants (legal or otherwise) or govt underfunding etc.

Yet they then expect it to clear up the mess when their tummy tuck/eyelash extension go wrong. Why should the public fund their vanity project - the surgery they thought they'd get on the cheap in a sunny country?

We cannot afford to provide many procedures/drugs that are actually necessary, but hey, why not spend what little we have hoovering up the consequences of vanity and what appears to be terminal stubborness (because it isn't as if people don't know the potential risks, the media has been covering such stories for years)?

Exactly this. Where does it start and stop? What about choosing to have a baby? Why does the NHS pay for this for example?

It also feels like a very tabloidy thing to get wirkeup about when reality is it is a small overall cost to the NHS. Look for where the real waste is op. But it's not as reactionary and quite boring.

@Destiny123 in terms of back billing at least UK private post op complications, do you think that would be fairly straightforward from an administrative perspective? I’m thinking in the UK they would have professional indemnity insurance which they could apply.

I don’t think anyone should be turned away or discouraged from getting the medical help they need from the NHS. But it doesn’t seem quite right the NHS funding and picking up the pieces from profit making private health companies and helping them retain such profits without any consequences.

Interesting topic.

@Missingmyusername I was being facetious about eyelash extentions ffs!

I’d rather to continue having a saggy post pregnancy belly than risk going to one of these dodgy clinics and popping my clogs.

Whilst I see where you're coming from, where do we draw the line? The NHS picks up the pieces of people's poor life choices. How do we determine which of those should be treated and which not? Sometimes these surgery choices are linked to poor mental health and low self esteem caused by a host of other issues. If someone presents at A&E with sepsis, there isn't the time or resources to investigate any of those. What other poor life choices should the NHS not help with? I don't think there's an easy answer.

Really? Wow, that's amazing!

It's complicated, though: smoking costs a lot in sick days, litter cleaning, fire services... and the cost of these will be different in different countries due to population density etc.
It would be interesting to find out how much smoking costs overall Vs how much it raises... if I could be bothered!

so that when it all goes wrong, which it inevitably does
what's your stats on that? Or just your opinion?

Post op MLD is my line of work. Yes some people have complications, but it's not a given that someone having cosmetic surgery abroad will go wrong. I've seen just as many complications from people having surgery in the UK.

The problem is that the healthcare costs of 18 year olds taking up smoking mostly won't need to be paid for decades, whereas the tax take comes in immediately.

But there's an ongoing range of people from young to old who smoke. The older ones that have been smoking for decades will be requiring treatment NOW, and that will be funded by the young smokers.
It's not that the tobacco revenue from young smokers is extra, just because they don't need it now.

I'm not at all sure that there is any insurance policy - health, travel or life, that would cover planned surgery in another country.

I'm talking about the New Zealand/UK proposed rolling ban. In the short term (over the life of a parliament) the effect on health care costs of stopping 18-22 year olds taking up smoking would be negligible, and far outweighed by their loss of tobacco tax take even though it would probably save money in the long term (depending on some complicated calculations about costs of care for Alzheimer vs strokes)

It is not misogyny. But "silly" and "vain" does about cover it, whether it is the downplayed "tummy tuck", dangerous BBL, or "Turkey teeth", that so frequently do go wrong.

It's a really tricky one, because how do you draw the line. Lots of people, on the face of it, "waste" NHS time, and most problems are to at least some extent caused by lifestyle, but who can be the judge of which are legitimate or not. I include myself in that, things I've used the NHS for were in retrospect preventable, but mistakes happen and no-one makes perfect choices.

Some people make poor decisions about cosmetic procedures; some are duped into thinking that a procedure is more straightforward or less risky than it is. Sometimes even good and safe procedures go wrong or have complications, whether here or abroad.

But it's s the NHSs job to treat, not to judge.

They do ?

That was in reply to PP who said that people with hobbies or cars should insure themselves too.

I see what you mean.
Typical short term politics.

I’ve saved the nhs a lot of money by having my gastric sleeve abroad. Absolutely zero issues, and I no longer need any of the medication I was on when overweight. Going forward I won’t be costing anything in obesity related health issues, which I otherwise would have.

You do know the nhs botches things up too?

Insurers assess risk. It might prove less expensive to save for surgery that has a lower risk factor. Save on the insurance, spend it on the doctor.

Teeth can affect your confidence badly though. In some cases your ability to eat if they’re particularly bad. I asked about teeth whitening/crowns about 20 years ago and was quoted in the region of £10k for the top six back then.

My friend and his OH have had theirs done in Turkey a few months ago and are so much happier now. It’s crazy that, usually as something becomes more common, the price usually drops, not so with cosmetic dentistry.

I have bad teeth due to genetics and I hate them. They make me look much older too. Im
considering going abroad as the cost here is ridiculous.

You do know the nhs botches things up too?
Yes absolutely.

The amount of women I treat, following mastectomy, DIEP reconstructions etc, who are left with little to zero care or advice afterwards. The NHS attitude of 'we saved your life, what more do you want', and the attitude of it being the patients fault, if they develop any complications after like infections or wound dehiscence.

Yes I can believe it is beyond you.

Your "tummy tuck/eyelash extension" comment makes it very clear that you're referring to women 🙄 And a certain sort of woman, in your view, who is vain and stupid and makes decisions about major surgery based on nothing but a desire to have a sunny holiday afterwards. It's your misogyny and prejudice that has caused you to swallow up the media BS about this particular issue being such a massive drain on the NHS, rather than smoking, drugs, sporting injuries etc. And they've neatly tapped into that prejudice to get you firmly looking the other way and ignoring the real issues of chronic mismanagement and underfunding.

@BalletBob Fantastic response. Thank you so much for your insight. Amazing how you know me so well. With your personal assessment skills you should be on BGT...

Don't heed the fact that I have worked in the NHS and actually do see this rather than reading about it in the media, because that will get in the way of your personal rant against me. Yes, I know the NHS can be mismanaged; but it doesn't need extra financial burdens placed upon it.

So do

There isnt any insurance you can get to cover this

As an aside, and I might start a thread about this as Im so pissed off, I couldnt even get properly covered for health in terms of travel insurance for a recent holiday. I have annual travel insurance and during this time Ive been referred to have a scan (bog standard, probably got gall stones), I dutifully informed the travel insurers that I was 'under investigation' (thats what its called) and they asked for my GP simply to answer 'yes' to me when I ask them 'can you confirm I am fit to fly'

My GP surgery say they do not make such declarations. I phoned the insurers back in a panic, they almost didnt believe me, I think they thought I hadnt asked or something, according to them all GPs do this and they are puzzled why mine wont.

So I had to go on holiday not really covered, dont know what would have happened if I needed to make a claim on health grounds. I also have other holidays already booked so until any diagnosis comes through Im not covered for them either.

My point is, insurance wont cover what most people think it should/would/might