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Cosmetic surgery is a growing area. In 2005 there were 22,000 cosmetic procedures in the UK, most of them in the private sector, and about £225 million was paid out for surgical procedures.
While many patients are operated on by conscientious surgeons who take care to manage expectations and explain the risk of adverse outcomes, every year there are victims of less careful colleagues and of clinics run by less scrupulous businessmen who cut corners on nursing staff and aftercare. Some horrific stories are told in solicitors’ offices by those who complaints have been brushed aside and are looking to make a compensation claim. Patients are rushed in with promises of guaranteed results, and rushed out with packets of dressings and no aftercare, leading to untreated wound infections that require far more serious operations and disfiguring outcomes.
Surgeons specialising in cosmetic surgery must register with the GMC specialist register if starting up form 2002, and many already in practice have registered as well. But a report by the Chief Medical Officer in 2005 found that surgeons who only did cosmetic surgery were the least likely to have registered as specialists.
Most patients will arrange their operation not by getting a referral from their GP but by a direct approach to a private clinic. Clinics should be registered with the Healthcare commission which conducts an annual inspection, and if contemplating surgery it would be wise to check if the clinic is registered.
Cause for concern however is that these requirements are only for cosmetic surgery – many cosmetic procedures, such as injections or laser treatments, are strictly speaking non- surgical, which means that a large part of the burgeoning aesthetic industry is altogether unregulated.
The consequences of less than careful surgery range from mismatched and lopsided breast implants to tummy tucks with sickening scars. Wound infection and bleeding (haematoma) are risks of any surgery and can occur without negligence, but the lack of aftercare and follow-up with timely intervention to treat problems can be negligent and can make the consequences long-lasting.
Any clinic registered with the Healthcare Commission must have a complaints procedure, and if the response is unhelpful the Healthcare Commission can be asked to review the case. The difficulty for many patients is that most clinics will get payment upfront for the procedure, leaving the patient with little effective redress when things go wrong. The frustration of getting redress when the job is botched adds insult to injury and leaves patients with fragile self-esteem in need of an understanding, sympathetic and effective solicitor. All too often legal action is the only way to get an answer.
Thompsons has a team of experienced solicitors specialising in clinical negligence operating regionally form their nationwide spread of offices and can guarantee referral to a female \ male solicitor in sensitive cases. Thompsons’ successes range from botched nose jobs to breast reduction that left hideous scarring.
If you or anyone you know has suffered from any form of clinical negligence, telephone us now for accurate claim advice.
There are strict time limits in place to make any personal injury compensation claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.
Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all matters relating to clinical negligence and will be able to advise you as to whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Their specialist clinical negligence lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have.
Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online compensation claim forms.
For more information about clinical negligence visit our Information Page.