Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Turkey: Surgical Procedures

Tuesday 12 March 2024 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department holds information on 28 British nationals who have died in Turkey following elective medical procedures since 2019.
  • The UK Government engages actively with the Turkish Government to support patient safety for those travelling to Turkey for medical treatment.
  • The UK Government raises concerns about deaths following cosmetic surgery in Turkey with Turkish authorities at multiple levels.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 John McNally SNP
NHS
Context

28 British nationals have died in Turkey after undergoing elective medical procedures since 2019. The question arises from the need to understand government actions and support for patients.

Question

What information does his Department hold on the number of UK nationals who have died following surgical procedures in Turkey in the last 10 years?

Answer from Leo Docherty

We are aware of 28 British nationals who have died in Turkey following elective medical procedures since 2019. The UK Government continue to engage actively with the Turkish Government on how to support the safety of patients who travel to Turkey for medical treatment.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask for detailed information held by the Department was not fully addressed, and no new commitments were made beyond ongoing engagement.

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Q2 John McNally SNP
Foreign Affairs
Context

A constituent, Shannon, died at age 28 after undergoing cosmetic surgery in Turkey. Her family experienced a painful death of nine hours.

Question

I thank the Minister for that answer; that is far too many people who have died. Many gruesome deaths have occurred following cosmetic surgery in Turkey. The family of my constituent, 28-year-old Shannon, witnessed the most agonising, horrific death as she lay on a table convulsing for some nine hours. As far as I am aware, not once have Foreign Office Ministers raised those needless deaths with Turkish Government officials. Furthermore, a pitiful byline of travel advice on the gov.uk website is simply not good enough. Will the Minister investigate an advertising suspension, in collaboration with Cabinet colleagues and regulators, for countries known for dangerous health tourism as a possible way to avoid further deaths like Shannon's?

Answer from Leo Docherty

We raise that issue with our Turkish counterparts at many levels. We will always look at what more we can do, but the head of mission in Ankara is seized of the urgency and importance of the issue and is working in close collaboration with the Turkish authorities.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask for an investigation into advertising suspension was not directly addressed; instead, general engagement activities were mentioned.

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