By Helen BurchellBBC News, Norfolk
Natasha KerrThe UK government has said it will meet with officials in Turkey to discuss regulations around medical and cosmetic tourism, after several deaths.
Melissa Kerr, 31, died at the private Medicana Kadikoy Hospital in Istanbul in 2019 during buttock enlargement surgery (Brazilian buttock lift).
A coroner raised concerns that she and others did not have enough information before traveling abroad.
Health Secretary Maria Caulfield said the government was taking the matter “seriously”.
In her reply to a future death prevention report written by Norfolk’s senior coroner Jacqueline Lake, Ms Caufield said officials from the Department of Health and Social Care would be “visiting Turkey shortly to meet with their counterparts”.
Natasha KerrIn September, an inquest heard Mrs Kerr, of Gorleston, Norfolksuffered a fatal blood clot that had traveled to her lungs during her Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL).
The research reported that BBL procedures carry the highest risk of all cosmetic surgery procedures.
Last year, new guidelines were issued for members of a UK cosmetic surgery association after a four-year moratorium on such operations due to the risks involved.
Ms Lake ruled Ms Kerr had not been given enough information to make a safe decision and said “the risk to citizens who continue to travel abroad for such procedures continues… and I believe future deaths can be avoided by way of better information”.
ONE mother of three died in August 2020 after undergoing liposuction in Turkey and the BBC previously reported how seven British patients died after weight loss surgery in the country.
GoogleConservative Ms Caulfield, minister for mental health and women’s health strategy, offered her “sincere condolences” to the Kerr family and said: “It is vital that we learn from what happened to her to prevent future deaths.”
He said the government was aware that checks made by some countries offering “healthcare tourism… may not match UK regulatory standards” but that “this transparency and standardization is important to reduce potential risks to patients”.
Natasha Kerr“It is particularly important that those considering a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedure are fully aware of the risks and have time to fully think about their decision before surgery,” said Ms Caulfield.
“The risk of death for BBL surgery is at least 10 times higher than many other cosmetic procedures.”
The government was looking at how to “effectively communicate” information about the risks of going abroad, he said.
The minister said while the British government is looking globally at “the consequences of international health tourism… we have a strong interest in Turkey given the number of UK nationals traveling to the country for medical treatments”.
Turkey’s Ministry of Health has been contacted for comment.
A Medicana spokesman said: “We were deeply saddened by the tragic death of Ms Kerr in 2019, following complications during surgery at one of our Turkish hospitals.
“We completely reject the allegation that Ms Kerr received insufficient information to make an informed decision about the procedure for which she traveled to Turkey.
“Following a thorough pre-procedure assessment, Ms Kerr signed various consent forms confirming her understanding of the risks, including the rare complication that led to her death.
“Medicana is committed to providing the highest standards of clinical care and patient safety. Our procedures are continually reviewed and we will continue to work with the Turkish Health Authority to make any changes deemed necessary to protect the reputation and integrity of Turkish healthcare. “
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