As you may have seen or heard, some of the recommendations for changes in regulation to the cosmetic surgery industry have been released. This review, commissioned by the department of health in the wake of the PIP breast implant scandal, has investigated in to how best to protect patients who chose to undergo cosmetic procedures, something that is incredibly popular in this day and age.
The Cosmetic Surgery industry is a very lucrative business and is forecast to be worth about £3.6bn by 2015. The overall feeling I get from this review is that the attitude to cosmetic surgery needs to, and is going to, have to change with several comments referencing that getting such invasive treatment appears to be as normal as buying “double glazing” or walking in to have your hair done at a hairdressers with Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS medical director for England, describing the situation as “bizarre”.
The report seems to highly disapprove of the “distastefulness” of offering procedures such as fillers or breast uplifts as prizes or as By One Get One Free offers and it does appear that it may now be time for the cosmetic industry to sit up and start having to be accountable for their actions.
Needless to say, it appears the PIP breast implant has really brought to the forefront the need for proper regulation in this area and this is sure to be welcomed by all patients that have suffered at the end of a surgeon’s scalpel or needle.
So what are the “proposed” recommendations? There are several, and it is not yet confirmed when these will be “officially” put in to force. One of the biggest problems faced by many victims of the PIP breast scandal was that the clinics that carried out the procedure “went bust” and consequently many were left without an avenue to pursue. One of the recommendations has been that there be a “pool fund” to help patients who find themselves in this situation – something that I am sure will be welcomed by all.
Other recommendations include compulsory insurance, a ban on financial offers on cosmetic surgery, and a register of people performing surgical and non surgical procedures.
These recommendations are of course going to be welcomed by many, however as they are not yet in place unfortunately those that have already suffered may find it less comforting. Cosmetic procedures are incredibly invasive as you are literally either putting a foreign substance into your body or removing something from it. Manipulating the body is clearly dangerous, however if you have suffered because of a surgeon’s negligence you may have the option to pursue for compensation.
Many cosmetic procedures do carry inherent risks and therefore it is important to distinguish between these and an injury that could have been avoided. It is therefore always best to speak with a personal injury specialist to ensure that if you do have the right to claim- you do. Generally, you have 3 years from the date of surgery or from your date of knowledge that something has gone wrong to make a claim and therefore in some cases time can be of the essence.
Here at the Injury Lawyers, we have experienced the devastation caused by the PIP implant scandal, and understand that negligence in this area can caused physical and emotional pain. Therefore if you wish to discuss any possible negligence speak to one of our friendly team today. The discussion is completely confidential and as we are a genuine law firm your details and circumstances will not be passed to anyone.
