Chief medical officer announces regulations on cosmetic surgery
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《英国医生杂志》
The chief medical officer, Liam Donaldson, announced measures to improve the regulation of private cosmetic surgery last week, after the publication of two reports by the Healthcare Commission and an expert group set up to investigate practice.
Patients are unsure of cosmetic surgeons?qualifications and are not given enough information about the options available and the risks involved, according to the expert group抯 report. It also found that it was sometimes difficult for patients to make a complaint. And some investigators discovered that beauty therapists may be carrying out acid peels and botulinum toxin (botox) injections without the necessary qualifications.
"The evidence we reviewed suggested that avoidable harm is done to some patients," said Harry Cayton, the Department of Health抯 director for patients and the public. The recommendations of the report should help to solve the problems facing cosmetic surgery, according to Mr Cayton.
The royal colleges and the expert group will be asked to develop specialist training programmes for cosmetic surgeons, and by summer 2005 patients will have access to more information about treatment, Sir Liam said.
The Department of Health said that nurses and cosmetic surgeons will have to provide patients with details of professional qualifications, registration, and membership of professional organisations.
The administration of botulinum toxin and laser treatments will be more tightly regulated. Any facility using these procedures must be registered with the Healthcare Commission, and registration will be enforced by the Department of Health.
The General Medical Council will also be urged to improve the recording and classification of any complaints, to allow comparisons to be made between different medical specialties and procedures.
The need for better regulation of aesthetic fillers will also be reviewed by the Department?of Health, and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency will consider the proposals made at the European Commission for the regulation of products made from engineered tissue.
"Cosmetic procedures are a rapidly growing area of private healthcare. Many people spend their hard earned money on these services. Some are disappointed with the outcome, but a minority can suffer serious harm or disfigurement," Sir Liam.
"People have to be confident that their treatment will be safe, that the medical practitioners who treat them are qualified and competent, and that they have the information to make informed decisions," he added.(London Katie Reid)
Patients are unsure of cosmetic surgeons?qualifications and are not given enough information about the options available and the risks involved, according to the expert group抯 report. It also found that it was sometimes difficult for patients to make a complaint. And some investigators discovered that beauty therapists may be carrying out acid peels and botulinum toxin (botox) injections without the necessary qualifications.
"The evidence we reviewed suggested that avoidable harm is done to some patients," said Harry Cayton, the Department of Health抯 director for patients and the public. The recommendations of the report should help to solve the problems facing cosmetic surgery, according to Mr Cayton.
The royal colleges and the expert group will be asked to develop specialist training programmes for cosmetic surgeons, and by summer 2005 patients will have access to more information about treatment, Sir Liam said.
The Department of Health said that nurses and cosmetic surgeons will have to provide patients with details of professional qualifications, registration, and membership of professional organisations.
The administration of botulinum toxin and laser treatments will be more tightly regulated. Any facility using these procedures must be registered with the Healthcare Commission, and registration will be enforced by the Department of Health.
The General Medical Council will also be urged to improve the recording and classification of any complaints, to allow comparisons to be made between different medical specialties and procedures.
The need for better regulation of aesthetic fillers will also be reviewed by the Department?of Health, and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency will consider the proposals made at the European Commission for the regulation of products made from engineered tissue.
"Cosmetic procedures are a rapidly growing area of private healthcare. Many people spend their hard earned money on these services. Some are disappointed with the outcome, but a minority can suffer serious harm or disfigurement," Sir Liam.
"People have to be confident that their treatment will be safe, that the medical practitioners who treat them are qualified and competent, and that they have the information to make informed decisions," he added.(London Katie Reid)