Managing Complications of Overseas Medical Procedures: An Emerging Challenge for UK General Practices and Emergency Departments
General practitioners and emergency medicine doctors in the UK are increasingly encountering patients who return from overseas with complications following medical procedures. These cases can often be challenging to manage. Frequently, there is limited or no access to operative notes, discharge summaries, or detailed information about the techniques and materials used, making clinical assessment and safe follow-up difficult. The complications themselves are often complex, including serious infections, wound breakdown, thromboembolic events, and implant-related problems. Many require urgent specialist input. GPs are typically the first point of contact and must manage patient distress, clinical uncertainty, and risk, while navigating referral decisions in the absence of clear guidance or established care pathways. For patients, the lower cost of surgical procedures overseas can be an appealing alternative to private care in the UK. However, this often comes at the expense of struct...