Thousands of people travel from the UK and Ireland to Istanbul for surgery each year. The medical side is only half of the planning: flights, paperwork, insurance and what happens when you are back home matter just as much. In this guide New City Clinic covers the practical questions British and Irish patients ask most.
Getting to Istanbul
Direct flights to Istanbul leave from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Dublin, among others, and take around four hours. Istanbul has two airports; your transfer meets you at whichever you arrive at. Entry rules change, so check the current official travel advice for Türkiye before booking, including passport validity. Book a flexible return ticket if you can, because your flight date is confirmed by the surgeon at your check-up.
Insurance and your GP
The GHIC and EHIC do not cover treatment in Türkiye, and standard travel insurance usually excludes planned surgery and its complications. Specialist policies for medical travel exist and are worth comparing. Tell your GP about your plans before you go: they hold your medical history and may be the first person you see afterwards. Ask New City Clinic for your operation report and discharge summary in English to take home.
How long to stay
The length of stay depends on the operation, not on how quickly you would like to be back at work. As a guide: 3–7 days for eyelid surgery or a hair transplant, 7–10 days for rhinoplasty, about a week for breast surgery or a gastric sleeve, 7–10 days or more for a tummy tuck, BBL or combined surgery, and 10–12 days for a facelift. Plan your leave around these ranges plus recovery at home.
Aftercare once you are home
Recovery continues for weeks after the flight. Your New City Clinic coordinator stays in touch, and photos of your healing can be passed to your surgeon. Know in advance what is normal and what is not: increasing pain, fever, a wound that opens, or calf pain and breathlessness need urgent medical attention locally, without waiting. Keep your documents together so that any doctor can see what was done.
Surgery in Turkey from the UK with New City Clinic
New City Clinic is an authorised health tourism intermediary registered with the Turkish Ministry of Health and HealthTürkiye. When you contact New City Clinic about surgery in Turkey from the UK, a physician first reviews your photos and medical information, and you then receive a written treatment plan with an itemised quote. Once you arrive in Istanbul, the New City Clinic team organises your airport welcome, accommodation, hospital appointments and interpreting. Your procedure is performed by a specialist physician at a Ministry of Health approved partner hospital, and follow-up continues after you return home.
Aftercare
Medication and check-ups
Take the medication your physician prescribes as directed and attend your planned check-ups.
Smoking and alcohol
Both slow healing; avoid them before and after the procedure for the period your physician advises.
Movement and rest
Short walks support circulation; wait for your physician’s approval before strenuous exercise or heavy lifting.
When to get in touch
Contact your New City Clinic coordinator straight away in case of high fever, increasing pain, redness or anything unexpected.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to go to Turkey for surgery from the UK?
Safety depends on the hospital, the surgeon and your health. Choose a licensed hospital and a specialist surgeon, be honest about your medical history and stay for the recommended time.
Will the NHS look after me afterwards?
The NHS provides emergency care, but routine aftercare for private surgery abroad is not something to rely on. Discuss this with your GP before you travel.
Can someone come with me?
Yes, and it helps in the first days. New City Clinic can include a companion’s accommodation and transfers in your plan.
Deciding on surgery in Turkey from the UK is a confident step when it is taken with the right information and the right team. You can book a free consultation with the New City Clinic team for your questions.
This article is for general information; consult your physician for diagnosis and treatment.
