British mother dies after Turkish BBL upsell

Hayley Dowell, a 38-year-old British mother of three, died on October 3, 2023, at BHT Clinic Istanbul Tema Hospital in Turkey, hours after undergoing liposuction, a tummy tuck, and a Brazilian butt-lift (BBL). She had traveled to Istanbul for the initial two procedures, but minutes before surgery, surgeon Salih Basat offered her a discounted BBL at £1,000 off, giving her only five minutes to decide. Her husband, Neil Dowell, testified at the inquest that he never saw her sign a consent form for the BBL and that the risks were not explained. The cause of death was a pulmonary fat embolism from the liposuction. Coroner Nick Walker criticized the clinic's upselling practices, stating they create a risk of future deaths, and announced he would issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the UK Health Secretary and the United Kingdom — General Medical Council. Qunomedical, the medical broker that arranged the surgery, confirmed it no longer works with BHT Clinic and has stopped offering BBLs. The inquest highlighted broader concerns about medical tourism to Turkey, where at least 35 Britons have died after elective procedures since 2019.