Summary
- Responsibility for your post-operative care lies with the independent clinician who performed your procedure abroad. All medical decisions, clinical assessments, and treatment plans are overseen by your treating clinician.
- After returning to the UK, some patients may choose to seek local, independent recovery support such as wound care or dressing changes. This is optional and separate from your surgical treatment pathway.
Longevita has a dedicated client support team that closely monitors the recovery of every patient treated under the arrangements we coordinate, whether in Istanbul or London. This complimentary service ensures ongoing communication between you and your clinician abroad.
In this guide, we explain Longevita’s support process, including remote online follow-ups and what happens if further surgery is needed.
What is Longevita’s Support Process?
Following your procedure, whether plastic surgery, a hair transplant, or dental treatment, Longevita’s support team provides structured remote online follow-ups at 1 week and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months.
As part of this process, you’ll be asked to share images of your treatment areas. These are reviewed directly by your clinician to monitor healing and provide medical guidance by them.
Outside of the scheduled follow-ups, clients are welcome to contact the support team, share images by email, or book a callback to speak with the team by phone during office hours.
We strongly recommend that clients stay in regular contact with the support team after returning home. The team liaises with your clinician abroad to make sure your recovery is progressing as expected.
While each medical professional may have a different approach to recovery and post-operative care, clients are advised to follow the agreed recovery plan and to check with their own clinician before making any adjustments to their aftercare.
Who Is Responsible for Providing Aftercare Post-Op?
The ultimate clinical responsibility for your post-operative care rests with the clinician who performed your procedure abroad.
They oversee your recovery and guide all medical decisions related to your treatment.
If your clinician determines that you’d benefit from a face-to-face medical examination in the UK, they will communicate this to you through us. This decision is made solely by the clinician and not by Longevita.
Optional Independent Recovery Support in the UK
After returning to the UK, some patients may wish to access local, practical recovery support for reassurance or assistance with routine aspects of healing.
Patients are free to choose to see any independent healthcare practitioner in the UK for this type of support.
If helpful, Longevita can share the contact details of a London-based independent recovery support nurse that some of our previous clients have chosen to see in the past. To request this information, clients should contact the Longevita support team.
The types of supportive services offered by independent recovery support nurses may include:
- Wound inspection
- Dressing changes and wound cleaning
- Hygiene guidance
- General recovery advice and reassurance
These services are supportive only and do not form part of your surgical treatment or medical follow-up. They do not replace your clinician’s role, and they do not involve clinical decision-making about your surgical outcome.
Any appointment with an independent practitioner is:
- Entirely optional
- Arranged directly between you and the practitioner
- Paid for directly by you to the practitioner
- Not arranged, managed, or supervised by Longevita
Longevita’s role is limited to providing ongoing remote aftercare support coordination with your clinician and, if requested, sharing contact details for local support options in the UK.
What Is the Process for Medical Aftercare in London?
Your recovery is first reviewed by your clinician abroad.
If your clinician feels that online medical advice alone is not sufficient to safely assess your recovery, or if there is any indication of a post-operative complication (such as infection, implant exposure, a seroma requiring drainage, or wound issues), they may ask you to see a qualified plastic surgeon in the UK for an in-person medical assessment.
If required, Longevita can provide the details of an independent London-based plastic surgeon that previous patients have consulted for additional support. Patients who would like this information should contact the Longevita support team.
If there is a difference of opinion between you and the independent clinician regarding the outcome, Longevita can obtain an independent medical second opinion from another independent clinician with equivalent qualifications to ensure an objective review. In this situation, Longevita acts solely as an intermediary.
If you disagree with both the assessment of your treating clinician and the medical second opinion, we advise you to provide a medical report from the NHS or from a consultant in the same medical field.
What Medical Aftercare Services Are Offered in London?
The following medical services may be offered in London by independent medical practitioners:
- Seroma drainage
- Placing new stitches (if the wound is free of infection or swelling)
- Stitch removal
- Injections to support recovery
Dr Hassan Soueid is an independent GMC-registered plastic surgeon based at Kensington Cosmetic Clinic (CQC: 1-14206333213), his own CQC-registered independent hospital in London
Any in-person appointments in London are arranged directly between you and the independent practitioner. Longevita does not arrange, manage, or bear responsibility for these appointments. All clinical decisions during these appointments are the responsibility of the independent practitioner.
Will You Be Charged for Medical Aftercare in London?
Medical aftercare appointments in London involve a fee.
Depending on the individual case, the clinician abroad may choose to reimburse you for this fee, meaning the appointment could be complimentary. This decision is made on a case-by-case basis by the treating clinician abroad, based on medical necessity.
What If You Need Revision Surgery?
If further surgery is required, the clinician abroad will invite you back for a revision procedure.
While the clinician may waive their own medical fee for the revision surgery, patients are responsible for costs such as:
- Anaesthetics
- Implants (if applicable)
- Operating theatre charges
- Travel, accommodation and local transport
These are set by the independent service providers. This reflects standard practice in the UK, where medical and facility fees are managed separately.