Cosmetic surgeon in Shropshire seeing 'two or three' botched patients a week
The Health Secretary is bringing in a raft of new measures to try & crack down on 'unsafe' surgery practices
A cosmetic surgeon working in Shropshire says he's seeing 'two or three' patients a week, complaining of botched surgery.
The Health Secretary is bringing in a raft of new measures to try & crack down on 'unsafe' surgery practices.
Cracking down on 'unsafe' surgery practices....
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that steps will be taken to protect people from "rogue operators" with no medical training who often provide "invasive" procedures in homes, hotels and pop-up clinics.
The move will also reduce the cost imposed upon the NHS to fix botched procedures, DHSC added.
Proposals include:
- Only health workers who are "suitably qualified" will be able to deliver high-risk procedures such as Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs).
- And these workers must be working in providers regulated by the health regulator, the Care Quality Commission.
- Those who break the rules on high-risk procedures could face sanctions from the watchdog and financial penalties.
- Clinics offering Botox and fillers will need to be licensed and meet certain standards to obtain a licence by their local authority.
- Age restrictions will be introduced to prevent children from trying to follow "dangerous beauty trends on social media", officials said. This would see restrictions for under 18s on high risk cosmetic procedures, unless authorised by a health professional.
"Problems could be droopy eyelids, an infection..."
Dr Dan Dhunna, a cosmetic surgeon in Shropshire, said these changes are long overdue:
"I would say on average, I receive around 2 or 3 inquiries a week of patients that have gone to non-medical individuals and had botched treatments.
"Those problems could be droopy eyelids, an infection, lumps or something more abstract.
"It is that dangerous"
"Anybody under the age of 18 can get hold of a credit card and purchase these treatments.
"They can get away with injecting their best friend in their bedroom later that afternoon, it is that dangerous.
"We have been asking for these regulations for the last 15 or 20 years," he said.
"Wild West of dodgy practitioners"
Health minister Karin Smyth said: "The cosmetics industry has been plagued by a Wild West of dodgy practitioners and procedures.
"There are countless horror stories of cosmetic cowboys causing serious, catastrophic damage.
"This isn't about stopping anyone from getting treatments - it's about preventing rogue operators from exploiting people at the expense of their safety and keeping people safe.