The General Medical Council (GMC) has published new draft guidance for doctors who carry out any type of cosmetic procedure with the public and doctors having an opportunity to comment on the draft guidelines until 1st September, 2015.
The GMC said that the guidance is designed to promote safe, patient-centred care by making sure doctors who offer these interventions know what is expected of them. It applies to doctors offering both surgical and non-surgical interventions.
Some of the salient points of the draft guidance include making sure patients are given enough time and information before they decide whether to have an intervention; directly seeking a patient’s consent rather than delegating to another health professional; taking particular care when considering requests for interventions on children and young people; considering patients’ psychological needs and if necessary seeking expert advice from colleagues
responsible marketing; and being open and honest with patients about the risks involved.
Commenting on the guidelines, Mr David Ward, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: “We welcome this draft guidance from the GMC because it is explicit that doctors should work within the limits of their competence when carrying out any type of cosmetic procedure. It also covers important ethical issues around patient consent, continuity of care and responsible marketing.”
The GMC added that they want to guidance to be practical, fair and fit for purpose. The council has asked for help from doctors and general public to make sure that the guidance are right. The consultation is open to anyone who wishes to respond.
“Only surgeons with the appropriate training and experience should be allowed to perform cosmetic surgery. This is why we are producing new standards of training and a certification system for surgeons wishing to perform cosmetic surgery. We also plan to publish additional guidance, specifically for cosmetic surgery, which will accompany the GMC’s document”, Ward added.
