Doctors’ cosmetic surgery guidance urges more honesty

Posted 07/06/2015

The General Medical Council (GMC) wants doctors doing cosmetic surgery to be more open and honest with their patients. Doctors who carry out cosmetic procedures should give patients time to think before agreeing to go ahead, according to new GMC guidance.

The guidance aims to make surgical and non-surgical procedures, such as facelifts, breast implants, dermal fillers and Botox, safer and the GMC will now consult doctors and the public about the guidance, with the final version expected to be published in early 2016.

In 2013, a report by NHS England’s medical director highlighted the risks associated with the cosmetic sector. This followed safety concerns after nearly 50,000 women in the UK had PIP breast implants fitted. The French implants were made from an unauthorised silicone filler and were found to have double the rupture rate of other implants; this has subsequently led to many negligence claims. Meanwhile, in January, the Royal College of Surgeons published a consultation on proposals to improve standards in cosmetic surgery.

The GMC sets the standards that are expected of all UK doctors who carry out cosmetic procedures. It also tries to help patients understand what to expect from their doctor. Some of the main points in the new guidance say that doctors should:

• Be open and honest with patients and not trivialise the risks involved
• Give patients enough time and information before they decide whether to have a cosmetic procedure, allowing them time to ‘cool off’
• Ask patients to tell them how they have been affected by a cosmetic procedure, both physically and psychologically
• Not target people under 18 through their marketing and seek additional advice from professionals who treat young people
• Seek their patient’s consent themselves rather than delegate it
• Not make unjustifiable claims about the results they can achieve and not give away procedures as prizes.

The view was that doctors should not pressure patients into decisions they may end up regretting and patients should be provided with sufficient information to make an informed decision.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) have insisted on a two-week cooling-off period for many years and also encouraged a second consultation with a surgeon before a decision was made. The association is looking into developing a screening tool to help identify patients who should not have surgery.  

Julie Crossley, a medical injury lawyer at Ashtons Legal comments: “Cosmetic surgery claims have increased over recent years and it is concerning that often clients proceed with little information or having not really done their homework. Minor procedures can often be done as ‘walk ins’ with little consultation or medical checking, sometimes with devastating results.  It is an area of surgical practice which should be regulated and this new guidance is welcomed.”