Plastic surgeons issue guidelines for patients

Plastic surgeons will tomorrow issue the first official consumer safety guidelines amid growing concern that patients are being exploited by untrained and unscrupulous medics.

Plastic surgeons will tomorrow issue the first official consumer safety guidelines amid growing concern that patients are being exploited by untrained and unscrupulous medics.

The 10-point checklist issued by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) emphasises a patient's right to cancel a procedure at any point - up to the time the anaesthestic takes effect.

The guide also warns people to beware of free consultations that lead to them being pressured into surgery. It also warns of non-refundable deposits ahead of operations. BAAPS says that no reputable surgeon would impose penalties for cancellations and patients should be suspicious of paying up front.

It will also advise that anyone considering a cosmetic procedure should ensure they are informed and accept the limitations and risks involved.

Britain tops a European plastic surgery league, with numbers of Britons undergoing rhinoplasty, breast enlargement or liposuction increasing sixfold in six years.

An estimated £7m in compensation has been paid out in Britain in the past 13 years as a result of botched or inappropriate surgery, including leaking breast implants and tummy tucks that have left patients scarred for life.

At present, any qualified surgeon can set up as a cosmetic expert, but if they claim to have a specialist qualification, they must be registered with the General Medical Council.

As The Independent on Sunday reported last month, ministers plan to overhaul Britain's booming cosmetic surgery industry after a review by the Chief Medical Officer revealed the extent to which people are being exploited.

BAAPS said the guidelines were to protect patients."Cosmetic surgery in appropriate circumstances can be life-changing in a beneficial way," said Mark Henley, a consultant plastic surgeon and BAAPS council member.

"However, if things are not right then it is, at worst, disastrous for all concerned."