Online register of cosmetic surgeons to be created to stop cowboy clinics

October 4, 2016

Online register of cosmetic surgeons to be created to stop cowboy clinics
Potential customers to be able to see list of qualified doctors by postcode
Register drawn up by Royal College of Surgeons amid rogue clinics fears

Sophie Borland, Health Editor For The Daily Mail

Published:
18:34 EST, 3 October 2016

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Updated:
06:54 EST, 4 October 2016

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An online register of cosmetic surgeons is to be created to help patients avoid cowboy clinics.

Potential customers will be able to type in the procedure they want and their postcode to see a list of qualified doctors nearby.

The register is being drawn up by the Royal College of Surgeons amid fears rogue clinics are using aggressive sales tactics. Some offer ‘buy one, get one free’ deals for mothers and daughters to get their breasts enlarged at the same time.

But many of the doctors carrying out the procedures have no formal qualifications or training and patients have ended up permanently disfigured.

The register is being drawn up by the Royal College of Surgeons amid fears rogue clinics are using aggressive sales tactics. It aims to allow customers to find qualified doctors by postcode

The royal college predicts that the register will start with 200 surgeons, rising to 1,000 within a few years. However there are thousands of so-called experts at UK clinics. Around 51,000 cosmetic procedures were performed in 2015 – a 13 per cent rise on the year before.

Women account for 90 per cent of customers and most favour breast enlargements, eyelifts or facelifts.

Stephen Cannon, who is vice president of the college, said: ‘Due to the aggressive marketing and ruthless sales tactics of some unscrupulous companies, it can be very difficult for patients to find independent, trustworthy information which gives them a clear idea of what an operation would entail.

‘Undergoing cosmetic surgery is a big decision which should never be taken lightly and we would urge anyone to think carefully about it.

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‘The vast majority of cosmetic surgery is carried out in the private sector and many people do not realise that the law currently allows any qualified doctor – surgeon or otherwise – to perform cosmetic surgery, without undertaking additional training or qualifications.’ Over the next six months cosmetic surgeons who want to join the list will have to prove they are qualified in their chosen area of expertise.

They will be able to be registered as a specialist in more than one technique as long as they have the appropriate qualifications. Surgeons who do not join the list will still be able to carry on operating – although patients will be urged to avoid their clinics.

Before the register is published in April, the college has launched an online service from today with tips on deciding whether to go ahead with surgery.

The Government asked the college to produce a register in the wake of the PIP breast implant scandal, which came to light in 2011.

The royal college predicts that the register will start with 200 surgeons, rising to 1,000 within a few years. However there are thousands of so-called experts at UK clinics (file picture)

Up to 47,000 women in the UK are thought to have been fitted with devices filled with toxic silicone made by a French company.

The NHS and the medical professional bodies are increasingly cracking down on the cosmetic surgery industry. Rules imposed by the General Medical Council in June mean doctors can be struck off for offering two-for-one deals.

The guidelines also state that doctors must properly explain the risks of surgery to patients – without putting undue pressure on them.

A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘Anyone who chooses to have a cosmetic procedure should have access to accurate information – that’s why we asked the Royal College of Surgeons to develop this new patient resource which will help people make an informed decision.

‘We have also proposed extending the Care Quality Commission’s powers to rate more providers which is an important step forward in improving standards.’

Professor Terence Stephenson, of the General Medical Council, said: ‘People choosing to undergo a cosmetic procedure have the right to expect high quality care and be fully informed about the treatment they receive. We hope patients will feel empowered to take more time, do more research or even walk away if they aren’t fully confident.’

For information and advice visit the Royal College of Surgeons website here