RECORD numbers of Britons are expected to pack their bags and head off abroad this year for everything from a tummy tuck to a hip replacement.

Medical tourism is booming as long waiting lists on the NHS and costly private health care increase the allure of cheap and effective surgery abroad, where treatment can can cost less than half what it does in Britain. The spread of MRSA, the so-called “super-bug”, is also driving Britons overseas as the belief spreads that NHS hospitals are unsafe.

Last year more than 50,000 Britons went abroad for surgery; this year the number is expected to soar to at least 75,000, according to Treatmentabroad, a web-site for medical tourists.

Most will go to the Continent for dental work. However, growing numbers are venturing further afield to countries such as India or Thailand, and opting for more ambitious procedures like knee operations and heart by-passes.

The savings can be huge, even if the operation requires a long stay. A hip replacement in a private hospital in Britain will set you back £10,000, but in India about £3,500. The procedure usually requires a five-day stay in hospital and a month in bed with regular physical therapy. Flights to India are about £370 and accommodation for a month, including ongoing treatment, £3,800 – still a saving of £2,330.

However, after factoring in flights and accommodation, not all procedures are value for money. A heart bypass in Britain might cost £5,000 compared with about £2,400 in Thailand. The procedure requires about a week in hospital, including three days in intensive care. You will need to recover for another three weeks or so before flying back – a minimum stay of a month.

The cost of flights is about £600, and one-night’s five-star accommodation is £140. The total cost of having the treatment in Thailand could be £6,900 – £1,900 more than in Britain.

If you can combine an operation with a holiday, though, it might still be worthwhile. Laser teeth whitening might cost £550 in a British private hospital but as little as £150 in Thailand. Add in the costs of flight and accommodation, if you went for the treatment alone, and it works out at about £890. However, as it requires no more than a two-hour visit to the clinic and little recovery time, it would still be value for money as part of a holiday.

Keith Pollard, of Treatmentabroad, said: “You can’t just compare the cost of a procedure here and abroad. But with the pound so strong against other currencies you can get some stunning deals.”

Belgium is a popular destination because it’s only a couple of hours away from London and accessible via Eurostar for less than £60 return. The average cost of a gall bladder removal is £4,650 in Britain but only £2,500 in Belgium. A full knee replacement costs about £12,000 in this country but only £6,100 in Belgium.

If it is cosmetic surgery you are after, most countries charge about half what you would have to pay in Britain. A tummy tuck costs about £4,450 in Britain and £2,400 in Belgium.

Some agencies, such as the Taj Medical Group, provide “sun and surgery” packages which include flights, accommodation, all medical fees and taxis from the airport to the hospital. It also offers follow-up appointments with a consultant in the UK.

Northampton-based People Logistics specialises in sending patients to France, where a hip replacement and two-week stay costs £6,850. This includes transport between home and hospital.

Doctors warn that having an operation is never risk-free and there can be additional dangers in travelling abroad for treatment. You should check your surgeon’s credentials and whether action has ever been taken against him or her.

No specific travel insurance is available for patients going abroad for surgery and most general policies exclude cover for trips where the policyholder is undergoing a planned operation, which means that cover will not apply for any part of the trip, even if an accident is unrelated to the surgery.

Useful websites:

revahealthnetwork.com

treatmentabroad.net

surgeryabroad.org.uk

tajmedicalgroup.co.uk

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