23/01/2015

Call For More Protection For Cosmetic Surgery Patients

Patients should be able to check if the cosmetic surgeon they are using is listed on an approved register, according to new plans made by the Royal College of Surgeons.

The Cosmetic Surgery Interspecialty Committee (CSIC), which was set up by the Royal College of Surgeons in 2013, proposes that patients considering paying for cosmetic surgery privately should have access to clear, unbiased and credible information about their surgeon, care provider, procedure and likely outcomes.

Under the plans, surgeons working in the private sector will have to prove they meet new standards of training to be certified and included on a register. This will be publicly available to employers and patients so they can make informed decisions. To obtain certification, surgeons will have to be on the GMC's specialist register in the area of training that covers the operations they wish to perform.

Stephen Cannon, Chair of the Cosmetic Surgery Interspecialty Committee (CSIC) and Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: "We are determined to ensure there are the same rigorous standards for patients undergoing cosmetic surgery in the UK as other types of surgery.

"This consultation provides the next step in establishing clear and high standards for training and practice so that all surgeons in the UK are certified to the same level, irrespective of where they trained.

"We want patients, surgeons and providers of cosmetic surgery to respond to this consultation and give us their views so we can develop these new standards."

(CD/JP)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

28 January 2005
Health chief seeks proper regulation of cosmetic surgery
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, has said that cosmetic surgery facilities need to be properly regulated. Sir Liam also said that patients needed to be better informed before deciding to undergo treatment.
16 January 2006
Plastic surgery becoming more popular
An increasing number of Britons are opting for plastic surgery, according to the latest figures. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) said that its members carried out 22,041 surgical procedures last year - an increase of 34.6% since 2004.
04 February 2010
German GP 'Incompetent'
An out-of-hours German doctor operating in the UK was "incompetent and not of an acceptable standard", a coroner ruled today. Two patients died after receiving treatment from Dr Daniel Ubani. David Gray, 70, from Cambridgeshire, died in 2008 from an overdose of diamorphine given by the GP.
15 May 2007
'Few' ask GPs for cosmetic surgery advice
Only around one in eight people consult their GP before deciding to have cosmetic surgery or treatment, a survey has revealed. Consumer group Which? Interviewed more than 300 people who were considering or who had already undertaken cosmetic treatment.
11 July 2005
Day surgery time being squandered claims report
Hospitals could reduce pressure on ward beds and bring down waiting lists, by making more efficient use of day surgery, a new report has suggested. The Healthcare Commission’s report into day surgery found that 45% of the theatre time allocated is not being used, due to cancelled operations, late starts and excessive delays between operations.