Choosing a clinician and facility

Check qualifications in the relevant country

Ask the clinician about their professional registration, specialist training and experience with the procedure you are considering. Check the facility's licensing and the rules of the country where the treatment would take place.

A directory or social-media profile on its own does not establish that someone is suitably qualified for a particular procedure. Verify current credentials with the appropriate regulator and ask questions directly.

Use the right official resource

For a doctor practising in the UK, the General Medical Council register can be used to check registration and specialist-register information. A UK registration alone is not proof that a clinician is authorised to practise in another country.

For Türkiye, HealthTürkiye publishes a list of authorised international health-tourism intermediary agencies. This is an agency list; it does not replace separate checks of the facility and the treating clinician.

Questions for a consultation

• Who will perform the operation and what is their relevant training?
• Where will the procedure be performed, and what arrangements exist for emergencies?
• What options, risks, likely scars and alternatives should I consider?
• Who will provide follow-up, including if I go home to another country?
• Can I have time to think or seek another opinion?

Stay in control

Be cautious of pressure to decide quickly or pay before you understand the plan. Ask for information in a language you understand and take time to consider whether you want any procedure at all.