The Department of Health (DH) are inviting the public to give their opinion /share their experience on cosmetic surgery. Details will be fed into an extensive cosmetic surgery review.

The review, headed by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh (NHS Medical Director), was triggered by the PIP incident, in which over 40,000 British women received substandard silicone breast implants.

"The recent problems with PIP breast implants”, said Sir Bruce Keogh, “have shone a light on the cosmetic surgery industry. Many questions have been raised, particularly around the regulation of clinics, whether all practitioners are adequately qualified, how well people are advised when money is changing hands, aggressive marketing techniques, and what protection is available when things go wrong."

The review will look at the cosmetic surgery industry as a whole.

“We want to hear views from everyone”, said Sir Bruce Keogh. “Particularly people who have experience of the cosmetic surgery industry or of other cosmetic interventions; good and bad, so we can learn what works best.”

Views required:

    • the regulation and safety of products used in cosmetic interventions
    • how best to ensure that the people who carry out procedures have the necessary

      skills and qualifications
    • how to ensure that organisations have the systems in place to look after their

      patients both during their treatment and afterwards
    • how to ensure that people considering cosmetic surgery and procedures are given

      the information, advice and time for reflection to make an informed choice
    • what improvements are needed in dealing with complaints so they are listened to

      and acted upon.

Have your say HERE

An earlier DH commissioned poll of 1,762 people found that two-thirds regarded the cost of surgery as more important than the qualifications of the individuals carrying it out. Half stated that they would take qualification into account, while less than half would factor the quality of after care into their decision.

The survey also highlighted the fact that, as a result of the PIP problems, almost half of women (who said they would have considered cosmetic surgery before) said they were now less likely to.