UK Health Radio – Medical News Update on the Hour - New Plastic Surgery Regulation Proposed

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update on the Hour

As programmes such as ‘Botched Up Bodies” pepper the TV schedules the Royal College of Surgeons have said that doctors should be prevented from performing cosmetic surgery outside their speciality.

It told the BBC the current rules potentially allow "GPs to do nose jobs" and that was "a big problem" for patients. The organisation wants a new system to certify surgeons for each procedure.

Bodies that represent aesthetic plastic surgeons say that they support the idea but it will only help patients if it is "mandatory and policed".

The whole industry has been under intense scrutiny since it was discovered that thousands of women had been fitted with sub standard breast implants made by Poly Implant Prothese (PIP). Ministers described it as a "cowboy industry" of "murky practices".

The Royal College of Surgeons  has launched a consultation on ways of cleaning up the industry. One suggestion is a register of certified surgeons to help the public make an informed decision about the quality of their surgeon. Doctors would have to be a proven specialist in their field and provide evidence about their success rates.

The vice president of the college, Stephen Cannon told the BBC News website: "Operating outside of speciality is a big problem in private practice as money is involved, so we hope to rectify that. There will be no concerns if you're already an established surgeon doing extremely well.”

We really need it to be mandatory; we need every plastic surgeon and cosmetic surgeon to be involved in it and be regulated and certified to stop all that cowboy behaviour which goes on."

The Royal College of Surgeons advised people to look beyond the bill when picking a surgeon.

 Have you had a problem with plastic surgery procedure?  Let us know on the blog.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update on the Hour

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