Access to healthcare outside of the UK is becoming increasingly popular not only for adults but also for children. Recent high-profile cases involving interventions that are not widely available or approved for use in the UK have demonstrated a need for those working within the NHS to be aware of both the practicalities and pitfalls of medical tourism.^1,2 Such cases challenge healthcare professionals and health service managers to consider how to engage and support patients and families who choose to seek treatment abroad.

Medical tourism encompasses a spectrum that ranges from a partnership between the patient, their family and healthcare professionals …