Gastric Sleeve in Turkey for UK Patients

On the NHS you usually need a BMI of 40 or more (or 35 with a condition such as type 2 diabetes), a specialist weight-management programme first, and then a wait that is often 2 years or longer. Privately, a gastric sleeve in the UK costs about £8,400-14,000.

Istanbul has experienced bariatric surgeons in hospitals licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health for international patients. The flight is short, and the full package costs less than a third of UK private prices.

&NewMe is a marketplace: compare surgeons and their Google reviews, and get written quotes before you decide.

£3,490 full package (the standard package). It includes:

• Surgery with Prof. Dr. Toygar Toydemir, anaesthesia and 3 nights at Istanbul Cerrahi Hospital
• 1 hotel night after discharge
• Pre-op tests in Istanbul
• Airport and hospital transfers
• Medication and protein for the first weeks
• Dietitian support and a coordinator from first message to home

Not included: flights and travel insurance. Return flights from UK airports are often £150-350 if you book a few weeks ahead.

Other surgeons on &NewMe quote their own packages - always compare what is included. Be careful with very cheap offers: a £2,000 clinic rarely includes a licensed hospital stay, insurance and aftercare.

UK private price: PrivateHealth.co.uk survey of 21 UK private providers (May 2025); for example Spire Bristol lists about £13,260 including the first consultation.

A fair question. The NHS sees patients with complications after surgery abroad - usually after choosing an unlicensed clinic, skipping pre-op checks, or having no plan for follow-up at home.

Before you book with any provider through &NewMe, we check four things for you:

• The hospital is licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health and authorised for international patients
• Complication insurance: required by Turkish law for international surgical patients and included by most providers - on the NewMe Comfort package it is Demir Sağlık cover you can extend before surgery (check your quote for limits and the first-days exclusion)
• You get the price and refund rules in writing before you pay
• The surgeon who operates on you is named in your quote

Your surgeon reviews your medical history before anything is confirmed, and will say no if surgery is not safe for you. After you are home, you can reach us any time and we coordinate with your surgeon.

Doing nothing has risks too: diabetes, heart disease and joint damage get worse with time.

Many of our patients so far have come from New Zealand and Australia - their stories are the same trip you would make, just a longer flight.

• Kristy: 66 kg down
• Sammie: 46 kg down, back on the flying fox
• Ngatiira: more than just surgery

Want to talk to someone who has done it? Ask your coordinator - past patients are happy to answer questions on WhatsApp.

Visa: UK ordinary passport holders do not need a visa or e-Visa for tourist visits of up to 90 days in any 180 days (Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Passport: it must be valid for at least 60 days beyond your stay (the Ministry advises 6 months from arrival to be safe). See also GOV.UK travel advice for Turkey.

Flight: about 4 hours direct from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and other UK airports. Return fares are often £150-350 if you book a few weeks ahead.

How long you stay: Providers typically require at least 2 nights in hospital and at least 1 night in a hotel before you fly home. The exact length depends on the provider and package - your written quote shows it. You fly home once your surgeon confirms you are fit to fly.

• Medication: keep your regular medicines in your hand luggage, in their original packaging, with your prescription or a GP letter.
• Airport assistance: ask your airline for wheelchair or walking assistance when you book - useful on the way home.
• Phone: set up a travel eSIM before you leave so WhatsApp works as soon as you land - your driver and coordinator reach you there.

Bringing a partner or friend? On the NewMe Comfort package (and most full packages on &NewMe) one companion stays free - in your hospital room and at the hotel, with meals. They only pay for their own flight (and any extra nights you add). Check your quote.

The extras below are not part of the package price. Your coordinator confirms what is available and the price in writing - there is nothing to buy online.

• Extra hotel nights: if you want more time to rest, or your surgeon advises a longer stay.
• Tours: Istanbul tours, such as a full-day highlights tour or a Bosphorus cruise. Plan them before surgery or for your companion - after surgery, rest comes first.
• Çinili Hamam: a restored 16th-century Ottoman bath by Mimar Sinan - before your surgery, or for your companion only.

Tell your GP before and after your surgery - your GP stays your main doctor at home. We recommend a GP visit about 2 weeks after you are back, and blood tests at about 3, 6 and 12 months, then at least once a year (B12, iron, folate, vitamin D, calcium).

On the full package, a bariatric dietitian guides you from liquids to normal food, and our AI support assistant - trained by the dietitian - answers questions 24/7. Your surgeon gives you a discharge summary and follow-up plan in English, and we help your GP and your surgeon talk if needed.

Vitamins: a daily A-Z multivitamin and mineral for life, plus vitamin B12, calcium with vitamin D, and iron if needed - your dietitian sets the doses. Plan blood tests at about 3, 6 and 12 months, then at least once a year for life with your GP (BOMSS 2020).

Exercise: walk from day 1 and a little more each day; no heavy lifting or tummy exercises for about 6 weeks; swim once wounds have healed; gentle gym cardio often from about 4 weeks and weights from about 6 weeks, when your surgeon agrees. Long term: 150+ minutes of activity a week plus strength training. General guidance - your surgeon and dietitian give you your own plan.

How much does a gastric sleeve in Turkey cost from the UK?

Our standard full package is £3,490, including surgery with Prof. Dr. Toygar Toydemir, 3 nights in hospital, 1 hotel night, transfers, medication, protein and dietitian support. Flights and travel insurance are extra. Private surgery in the UK costs about £8,400-14,000.

Can I get a gastric sleeve on the NHS instead?

Possibly, if you meet the criteria (usually BMI 40+, or 35+ with a condition like type 2 diabetes) and complete a weight-management programme. Waits are often 2 years or longer, so many people choose to go privately.

Will the NHS look after me after surgery abroad?

Your GP stays your doctor and can arrange blood tests and routine follow-up. Bring your English discharge summary; we can help your GP and surgeon talk.

How long do I need to stay in Turkey?

Providers typically require at least 2 nights in hospital and at least 1 night in a hotel before you fly home. The exact length depends on the provider and package - your written quote shows it. The full package has 3 nights in hospital and 1 in a hotel. Most people are back at a desk job within 1-2 weeks.

Is it safe?

Surgery always has some risk, wherever it is done. It is safest with an experienced bariatric surgeon in a licensed hospital, after proper pre-op checks and with follow-up at home - which is what we check before you book.

Is complication insurance included?

Yes, on most full packages - Turkish law requires it for international patients. On the NewMe Comfort package, for example, complication insurance from Demir Sağlık ve Hayat Sigorta is included: its Essential plan covers up to €2,500 for treating a complication in Turkey, for 6 months, but not in the first 7 days after surgery or discharge. You can extend it before surgery: Plus (+€99) raises cover to €5,000 and adds up to €500 for treatment at home, plus a return flight (up to €500) and hotel (up to €1,000) if you need to come back; Premium (+€129) is Plus with cover from day 1. Other providers' policies differ - check your quote.

No plan covers the original surgery, malpractice claims, rehabilitation, conditions unrelated to the surgery, or anything after 6 months; further treatment is normally at the same hospital unless the insurer agrees otherwise. Travel insurance is separate - tell your insurer about the surgery.