The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has called on surgeons and hospitals to prepare for changes that aim to drive up standards of care in cosmetic surgery.
From spring 2016, surgeons will be able to apply for ‘certification’ to show they are qualified and competent to perform specific procedures. It will enable surgeons working in the private sector to demonstrate they have the appropriate standards of training and experience to perform cosmetic surgical procedures – such as breast enlargements or tummy tucks.
Currently, cosmetic surgery is not a defined surgical specialty and there are no common standards available to surgeons who perform it. The law allows any doctor – surgeon or otherwise – to perform cosmetic surgery. The new system of certification will address this and allow the public and employers to distinguish highly qualified, experienced individuals, from those who are working without adequate insurance or the necessary specialist training.
Surgeons will be able to obtain certification in one or more groups of closely related procedures as long as they are on the General Medical Council’s (GMC) specialist register in a specialty that demonstrates training and experience in the chosen area of practice, and they can demonstrate they meet certification requirements. This will include providing evidence they have: performed a minimum number of surgical procedures in the area of certification and of their outcomes; indemnity insurance which covers practice in the UK; undergone successful revalidation including at least one appraisal that has taken into account their cosmetic practice; attended an accredited masterclass on professional skills in cosmetic surgery; confirmation of knowledge and adherence to relevant General Medical Council’s and Royal College of Surgeons’ guidance.
