Infections drive British patients to India

Prospects of long waiting lists and fears of contracting lethal infections in UK hospitals drove 50,000 British patients to fly to India and other countries providing low cost and high quality treatment last year.

The figures marked an increase of over 25 per cent compared to the previous year and is expected to further increase by as much as 50 per cent in the next 12 months, according to a survey by Treatment Abroad, a website on medical tourism.

India is the most popular destination for outbound British patients, with around 23 per cent heading to the country, particularly to Kerala. Other popular destinations include Costa Rica, Hungary, Turkey, Holland, Sweden, Norway and Brazil.

Keith Pollard, director of Treatment Abroad, said: "We are getting reports that worries about hospital infections such as MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureaus) are driving people abroad."

Katherin Murphy, of the Patients Association said: "Hospital infections are the number one concern from callers to our helpline. It comes as no surprise that some people are going abroad because they're frightened of infection rates in this country."

Other reasons for people seeking treatment outside the UK include the rise in cost of hospital and healthcare treatment and the chance to combine foreign treatment with a holiday.

"Medical tourism is becoming more common with patients combining surgery with a holiday," a source said.

Dentistry is the most popular service with treatments such as crowns, dental implants, bridges and veneers leading the way; with most people preferring to go to India for the treatment.

More than 20,000 Britons travel abroad for treatment to their teeth, spending about 2,500 pounds each, an estimated market value of over 50 million pounds a year, according to Treatment Abroad.

Cosmetic surgery is a close second with about 14,500 patients traveling outside the UK for it.

Breast implants, tummy tucks, liposuction and face-lifts are also popular choices with patients spending about 3,500 pounds each, creating an estimated market worth 50 million pounds.

The most common types of elective surgery for patients traveling abroad are hip or knee replacements, laser eye surgery and cataract removal, with about 10,000 patients expected to spend about 37 million pounds in 2007.

Treatment Abroad, which received replies from 132 out of 500 companies involved in UK medical tourism, said the market is worth 163 million pounds annually, including travel and accommodation, of which 136 million pounds is the cost of treatment.