Rethinking healthcare abroad: Why more UK patients are choosing India and The Medical Travel Company
By Dr Sukhdev Singh, General Practitioner; Public Governor, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust & Medical Director in Primary Care at TMTC
In the UK, the term “health tourism” or “medical value tourism” has historically acquired a bad reputation and with good reason.
Stories of patients returning from abroad with botched or unexpected procedures, with complications and no aftercare, have rightly raised concerns.
The NHS has had to deal with these unfortunate consequences, with significant NHS pressures and cost implications.
But that narrative misses a crucial point: the problem isn’t if care is delivered in the UK or overseas, but how it is delivered and the standard of care and attention the patient receives. Most of the problems associated with health tourism arise I believe, from the following gaps:
- poorly designed medical pathways (that is, the entirety of the patient journey)
- little medical oversight
- inadequate preparation (healthcare planning)
- not always choosing the best hospital and consultant
- no support after the patient returns home
When done properly and led by UK doctors advising the patient, closing the gaps in the overall patient journey, healthcare abroad, such as the services we offer in India at The Medical Travel Company (TMTC) can provide safe, faster access, high-quality care, with even more comprehensive recovery than patients currently experience in the UK.
I have been working with TMTC to help build exactly that: an ethical, UK doctor-led, end-to-end journey for patients who choose to have top-quality treatment in India.
This represents a complete reimagination of how healthcare abroad is planned, accessed, delivered and experienced.
Why are patients looking abroad?
The NHS waiting list has now grown to over 7 million, with no sign of reducing in the short-term period.
As an example, orthopaedic procedures, such as knee and hip replacements, have the longest waiting lists and are in high demand.
Patients can often spend years on painkillers, receiving joint injections without benefit, losing functional mobility, ending up walking on sticks and losing independent living before even being offered surgery on the NHS.
For some, the wait and pain are too much and private care in the UK seems the only alternative, but it comes at a steep price.
A knee replacement in the UK private sector is advertised at around £15,000-18,000, but in reality, once you add in essential physiotherapy, follow-up doctor consultations and nursing care, this can exceed £20,000.
Even worse, this care is often fragmented, meaning that you pay separately for each element and coordinate much of the aftercare yourself.
This is not acceptable in today’s age and not seamless.
For patients who want timely care, but cannot afford that deep level of financial outlay for private UK care, or who want a more integrated experience, structured and seamless medical care with us in India is a legitimate and affordable alternative.
Why India?
India has become one of the world’s most capable healthcare destinations.
Its global reputation as a provider of affordable, high-quality healthcare continues to rise.
During my visits to India to vet hospitals and meet top-level clinicians, I observed four main features that I would like to share:
- World-class expertise. Many of the chosen consultants we work with at TMTC have spent over 10 years working in the NHS before returning to India. Their training, skills and standards are identical to what we expect here, if not better in some cases.
- Modern, purpose-built, accredited facilities. Massive private equity investment has led the way to many new multi-speciality super hospitals with advanced equipment and facilities. These are the hospitals we have partnered with and chosen for the TMTC pathway. They are internationally accredited by the JCI (Joint Commission International) or NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers). This means they meet rigorous standards on hygiene, safety, quality and clinical outcomes.
- Advanced technology is in use. This includes robotic-assisted surgeries with the latest operational techniques, AI-powered diagnostics, modern intensive care units and state-of-the-art medical equipment and scanners.
- Integrated support. The super hospitals and staff are experienced in looking after international patients, with empathy and excellent English spoken at all levels of care.
India thus offers rapid access to care, with high capacity, newer hospitals and equipment, and crucially, the ability to deliver intensive, supported recovery – something the NHS struggles to provide.
Why does the pathway matter?
The key lesson from the failures of early health tourism models is this: the procedure or operation alone is not enough.
Patients need a structured, medically led pathway that fully supports the patient end-to-end.
It should begin and end in the UK under GP supervision, with careful health planning and preparation before the procedure, comprehensive support throughout the stay in India, and a clear aftercare plan.
At TMTC, we have designed a clinically-validated, end-to-end pathway that is a step up, based on NHS principles, utilising India’s cutting-edge capabilities.
It is about providing a level of integrated care that can often exceed what can be delivered in the UK’s overstretched NHS system or even private UK care.
A patient’s journey with TMTC begins with a UK-based private doctor consultation which covers:
- Private doctor-led assessment, advice, planning and preparation.
- Patients are assessed for their suitability for surgery and
- Patients are assessed for their fitness to travel.
If issues arise, such as uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, or weight problems, which make immediate surgery unsafe, we address these first, a process known as prehabilitation.
Only when the patient is optimised in their health do we proceed. This protects both the patient and the integrity of our care pathway.
All hospitals and surgeons in the TMTC network have been personally vetted and their outcomes reviewed.
These are not anonymous providers – they are trusted colleagues working to the highest professional level who understand the expectations of UK patients and proudly work to international standards.
At TMTC, we have built in seamless logistics and coordinate every step of the way for patients.
This includes medical visa support, airport transfers, a personal health concierge and assisting with admission.
This removes the burden of planning from the patient and provides valuable reassurance
Following surgery (in a modern, accredited hospital), patients move to TMTC’s Aftercare Centre.
This is a purpose-built facility that addresses one of the biggest gaps in care, both at home and abroad: proper rehabilitation.
Our all-inclusive centre offers the following:
- a premium suite with a large bedroom, en-suite bathroom, lounge and dining room
- 24/7 nursing
- an on-site doctor
- twice-daily physiotherapy (something that’s unheard of even in UK private care),
- a nutritionist who ensures the patient’s diet supports healing
- concierge services, including the ability to go shopping or sightseeing once the patient feels ready.
By contrast, most other health tourism providers discharge patients into hotels with inadequate medical support.
This hotel approach leaves the patient to manage the immediate post-operative period, compromises recovery and increases medical risk.
With TMTC, when the patient returns to the UK, they are seen again by the same private GP, who coordinated their initial assessment, for full UK aftercare services.
TMTC also provides 12 months of private insurance (for orthopaedic and dental treatments) to cover any complications arising from the procedure.
This is something no other health tourism provider offers.
In the end, this comprehensive package ensures that neither the patient nor the NHS is left to pick up the pieces if problems arise.
The patient does not become a burden on the NHS.
Beyond orthopaedics – what else?
While orthopaedic surgery is the most obvious area, given the long NHS waiting lists, the TMTC pathways also support patients seeking:
- Fertility Treatments (e.g. IVF): With UK costs exceeding £12,000–15,000 per cycle for IVF alone, India offers comparable outcomes at around half the price.
- Complex dental care: Including implants and veneers, at significantly reduced cost.
- Preventive health and wellness: Combining full-body health assessments with a week at a wellness centre offering yoga, nutrition and medical supervision. This offers a unique blend of modern and traditional healing. It enhances the holistic value of care and is not cost-prohibitive.
- Other elective surgery
There is clear pricing transparency across all TMTC healthcare packages.
Concluding thoughts
For too long, medical care abroad has been seen as a risky venture.
But when designed properly with rigorous standards, preparation and aftercare, it can offer patients a safer, more effective and patient-centred experience without long NHS waits or high-cost, fragmented UK private care.
TMTC’s pathway leads the way on how this can be done responsibly: Doctor-led, patient-centred and accountable from start to finish.
One unrivalled integrated system.
So, let’s not dismiss healthcare abroad as reckless and now, seriously change the narrative.
We should start to recognise it as a realistic and viable third option, provided it is delivered ethically, transparently and with the patient’s long-term wellbeing at its core.
