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Making Safe Choices

Considering cosmetic surgery or a cosmetic procedure?

The Healthcare Commission exists to promote improvement in the quality of healthcare and public health. We are the official body that regulates the registration of private clinics and hospitals providing cosmetic surgery.

We have produced this guide to help ensure that you get the best information available on the safety and effectiveness of treatments and providers.

Helping you make the best choices

Most organisations providing cosmetic surgery and cosmetic procedures are safe, however it is important to find out the right information before you start any treatment.

To start with, you should check with the Healthcare Commission to find out if the practitioner or clinic is legally registered to provide the surgery or procedure.

When registering independent providers, the Healthcare Commission ensures that they meet the minimum standards of practice, including:

• Quality of treatment
• Checks of premises and equipment
• Qualifications and skills of staff
• Policies and procedures
• Training and professional development
• Complaints procedures

Examples of cosmetic surgery procedures include facelifts, liposuction, tummy tucks and breast surgery. We also regulate the use of lasers and intense pulsed lights, which include procedures ranging from hair removal to eye surgery.

Some cosmetic non-surgical procedures, including injectables such as VISTABEL, BOTOX and Dysport, and remodelling techniques using cells, tissue or synthetic products are not currently regulated. There is a risk that the person carrying out your procedure may not be properly qualified. However, we anticipate that such procedures will be regulated by the Healthcare Commission in 2007.

Do your homework

• Read as much un-biased information as you can about the surgery or procedure
• Understand the risks, side effects and possible complications

Choose the right practitioner

• Get a referral from your GP where appropriate
• Ask the healthcare professional treating you if they are experienced and qualified to provide the procedure
• Ask how many times they have performed the procedure and if there were complications
• Check that they are able to provide you with the necessary after-care
• Always have a medical history taken during your consultation by a healthcare professional
• Don’t be pressured into having treatment immediately, always take time to consider what will be best for you
• Check that the surgeon is on the specialist register of the General Medical Council (GMC) – all surgeons setting up in cosmetic surgery after April 1st 2002 must be on this register, however those practising prior to this date may not be
• All doctors should also be able to provide you with information about their qualifications, the numbers of procedures performed and their outcomes
• Check the qualifications of healthcare professionals providing non-surgical procedures on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (www.nmc-uk.org) and General Dental Council (www.gdc-uk.org) websites

Find out about the hospital or clinic

All hospitals and clinics should provide a guide for patients detailing services, costs and information on making comments and complaints.

• Do they need to be registered with the Healthcare Commission?
• If yes, read their latest Healthcare Commission inspection report on our website
• Make appointments at different clinics to compare services and prices
• Get the cost of the procedure in writing to help you see any hidden costs

Ask the right questions

• What different types of treatments are available?
• What are the benefits of each?
• What exactly does the surgery or procedure involve and how long will it take?
• How long will I need to stay in the hospital or clinic and how long will I take to recover?
• Will I need someone to take care of me when I go home?
• What are the side effects or risks – will I be in much pain?
• What is a realistic expectation of the outcome
• How long will the results last?

What to do if the outcome is not what was agreed or realistically expected

All clinics and hospitals registered with the Healthcare Commission are required to have a policy to deal with complaints.

• Firstly, tell the provider if you are unhappy with the treatment, giving them the opportunity to discuss and resolve your complaint
• If you are still unhappy you can make a complaint to the Healthcare Commission (if they are a registered service), the Independent Healthcare Forum (if the service is a member) or Trading Standards

© The Healthcare Commission

Reproduced with the permission of the Healthcare Commission

For more information, visit www.healthcarecommission.co.uk

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