British patients having surgery abroad

Release date:
2 November 2017

You asked

You recently reported on the rising incidence of British patients having surgery abroad. Please reply to the following two questions.

  1. What proportion, or approximately what proportion of British patients having joint replacement surgery in other EEA countries funded their surgery in whole or in part by UK EHIC card?

  2. What proportion, or approximately what proportion of British patients having cataract surgery in other EEA countries funded their surgery in whole or in part by UK EHIC card?

We said

Thank you for your request.

Unfortunately, we do not hold the information necessary to answer your questions.

The information recently published on UK residents travelling overseas for medical treatment was based on the International Passenger Survey, which operates at routes into and out of the UK. The survey does not ask the sources of funding for medical treatment overseas.

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