Cosmetic surgeons need to explain risks of surgery to patients
- Apr 12, 2016
- EmmaArnold
New guidelines are to come into practice to stop unreliable practitioners in cosmetic surgery.
The General Medical Council (GMC) the body that regulates UK doctors, is bringing in the new guidelines in June this year for patients private clinics and the NHS.
Practitioners who put profits before their patients are being targeted with promotional offers, such as 'buy one get one free', being banned.
Patients must also be told of who to contact if they experience any complications and any doctor who breaks the new rules could be struck off the medical register.
The surgeon or whoever is carrying out the procedure, must fully explain the risks of any procedure - whether that is for breast implants or botox injections.
Hannah Bottomley, solicitor in the clinical negligence department at PotterReesDolan, said:
I feel that these rules have been needed for a long time. Speaking with patients who have undergone plastic surgery one of the most common complaints is that the risks of the procedure were never fully explained and had they truly understood the risks associated they may have decided not to go ahead.
Often I hear stories of plastic surgery undertaken at great personal expense to address long standing issues where sadly the result has resulted in a worsening of the condition and issue
I do however worry that the tightening of rules could mean patients seeking unlicensed or unregistered practitioners for some cosmetic procedures and would therefore encourage anyone contemplating cosmetic surgery of any kind to check out the practice, the doctor who will be performing the procedure and make sure they are registered with the GMC
The new guidelines come into effect after Sir Bruce Keogh outlined problems in the industry in a review back in 2013.
Although most doctors do cosmetic procedures at a high standard, the GMC found there is poor practice in some clinics.
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is also launching its own set of standards in cosmetic surgery and hopes to introduce new legislation to make sure surgeons are certified to carry out cosmetic operations.
It is hoped these changes and new rules will help to reduce the number of patients experiencing faulty cosmetic surgery and cosmetic procedures.
If you have suffered complications after cosmetic surgery and would like more information regarding making a complaint or hospital complaint processes contact a member of our specialist clinical negligence team on 0161 237 5888.