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Bupa welcomes overhaul of cosmetic surgery profession 28 January 2005 Bupa Hospitals has joined calls for a crackdown on cosmetic surgery cowboys, who are bringing the industry into disrepute. Reports due to be published today by the Department of Health and by the government's health watchdog, the Healthcare Commission (HCC), are expected to call for tighter regulation in the profession to help stamp out disreputable and unscrupulous operators. Bupa's group medical director Andrew Vallance-Owen, a member of the Expert Group on the Regulation of Cosmetic Surgery which prepared the Department of Health report, said: "Cosmetic surgery is one of the fastest growing areas of the private healthcare market. Procedures, for instance those using Botox, must be better regulated and we have to get tough with the cowboy operators. Low standards, although only practised by a few, damage patients and give everyone working in this area a bad name." The reports are also expected to highlight the need for specialist training programmes in cosmetic surgery and for surgeons' qualifications to be made available to patients. Dr Vallance-Owen added: "We must establish proper training and accreditation in cosmetic surgery and we urge the profession to urgently address the recommendations in this report. Patients need to know that their surgeon is not only fully qualified but highly trained and experienced and a specialist in their field." In 2004 Bupa Hospitals experienced the fastest growth in recent years in cosmetic surgery with a 32 per cent increase in such procedures performed across its 34 hospitals. Figures show that breast enlargement remains the most popular procedure, accounting for more than one in four cosmetic surgery operations. All doctors performing cosmetic surgery in Bupa hospitals are consultants whose names appear on the GMC (General Medical Council) specialist register and meet the HCC's national minimum standards. In addition, consultant cosmetic surgeons are members of the appropriate associations such as BAPS (British Association of Plastic Surgeons) or BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons), or both. Bupa Hospitals offer cosmetic surgery services as an Inclusive Care package which means that all aspects of the procedure and care are included in one price for the individual. A dedicated new website www.bupa-cosmetic-surgery.co.uk carries clinical information and guide prices for around 50 cosmetic operations and out-patient treatments. Visitors to the site can find their nearest Bupa hospital offering a particular treatment and can view profiles of around 140 consultant surgeons who carry out cosmetic surgery in Bupa hospitals. A buyers guide offering clear unbiased information to anyone considering cosmetic treatment or surgery can be downloaded free from the website.
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