|
Is
the surgeon
qualified and have they
been trained to be a
surgeon?
Ask
for a CV.
|
|
|
Do
they have the
correct registrations for
their country?
See
their CV and
check in Linda's
research
section
|
|
|
Is
the surgeon
qualified to do the
procedure you want?
Ask
how many they
have done in the last
year. Ask to see before
and after pictures.
|
|
|
Does
the surgeon have
the legal requirements
for Professional Medical
Indemnity Insurance for
his country?
|
|
|
Will
you have a
consultation and follow
ups with the surgeon
who will carry out the
procedure?
|
|
|
Do
you have a medical
condition that might
affect you having surgery?
Complete
this form
and ask the
surgeon
|
|
|
What
type of
clinic/hospital do they
work in?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Who
else will be
involved in your
surgery/care?
Ask who they are and
if the surgeon has a
trusted team he generally
works with? Overseas
hospitals are more likely
to give this information
freely but this is not
generally the case in the
UK.
|
|
|
Does
everyone speak
your language?
Will
your request be
understood fully? This
can also be a
problem in the UK.
|
|
|
What
are the laws that
dictate the procedure in
the country you are going
to?
|
|
For
instance - France
requires that you have
a consultation with
the anaesthetist 48
hours before
surgery
|
|
|
|
Hospitals
overseas do
not have the same
problems with hospital
acquired infections like
MRSA, on the scale as in
the UK. Ask about
the hygiene standards.
Ask
other patients
who have already
been.
|
|
|
How
far will I have to
travel for my surgery?
Basically the bigger
the surgery, the less you
will want to travel,
remember you have to come
back!.
|
|
|
How
long will you stay
in the country?
You need to stay in
the hospital or the local
area until all the dangers
of surgery are passed and
you will not need any
further medical treatment
in the UK.
See
Linda's risks of
surgery
|
|
|
|
Haematoma
- bleeding
after surgery.
What will you do
if you are in a
hotel?
This
also applies to
day case surgery in
the UK.
|
|
|
|
|
Cosmetic
surgery is
self elected surgery
and is privately
funded. You
cannot expect the NHS
to carry out these
treatments if you
return to the UK too
soon. There are
private doctors who
will carry this out at
your expense.
Linda will have
details of this
shortly.
|
|
Corrections
are sometimes
required because cosmetic
surgery is not an exact
science. Take into
account that if you need a
small correction, you will
have to go back to the
same surgeon who will
generally do it for free,
but you would still have
to pay for flights,
hospital costs etc.
This is also the
case in the UK.
|
|
|
Check
if you will be given
drugs to prevent DVTs
while flying and
antibiotics?
|
|
|
If
your GP has previously
referred you for surgery
by the NHS but they will
no longer do it, ask your
GP if he will help if you
go overseas due to cost.
Ask before you go
and you might be surprised
at the amount of support
you can get.
|
|