Exclusive:
The poll shows widespread public support for the demands of the Mirror’s Ban the Cosmetic Cowboys campaign, which has already been backed by Health Secretary Wes Streeting
Brits overwhelmingly support tougher rules on cosmetic surgery to stop cowboy practitioners putting lives at risk.
An exclusive poll for the Mirror found 83% of voters think cosmetic surgery should only be carried out by properly trained surgeons who are on the General Medical Council specialist register.
Some 82% want those those carrying out treatments to have UK Board Certification in cosmetic surgery, while 83% think aesthetic procedures, including high-risk practices such as liposuction and liquid BBLs (Brazilian bum lifts) should be carried out in clinics inspected by the Care Quality Commission, rather than unregulated beauty firms.
The Deltapoll survey also found 78% said it should be a legal requirement for beauty clinics who offer non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers to have malpractice insurance.
The move shows widespread public support for the demands of the Mirror’s Ban the Cosmetic Cowboys campaign, which has already been backed by the Health Secretary.
Doctors performing cosmetic surgery in the UK must be registered with and licensed to practice by the General Medical Council. But a rise in non-surgical procedures such as Botox and dermal fillers in unregulated high-street salons have sparked fears of a growing “wild west” in the industry.
Mum-of-five Alice Webb, 33, died after having a non-surgical BBL procedure at a clinic in Gloucester in September.
The Mirror is demanding that all beauty clinics offering potentially dangerous procedures, including ‘high risk’ treatments such as BBLs, liposuction, surgical facelifts and surgical eye lifts, are licensed by the Quality Care Commission.
Our campaign also calls for all procedures to be surgically safe and carried out only by fully trained medical professionals, as well as for it to be made a legal requirement for practitioners who offer non-surgical interventions to have malpractice insurance.
1. Cosmetic operations such as liposuction, surgical face lifts and surgical eye lifts, should only be carried out by properly trained surgeons on the General Medical Council specialist register. These surgeons should have UK Board Certification in Cosmetic Surgery for their area of practice.
2. All operations and high risk procedures must be surgically safeand carried out in clinics and hospitals inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
3. Make it a legal requirement for beauty clinics who offer non-surgical interventions to have malpractice insurance.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has warned people against offers that look “too good to be true”, as botched procedures can have life-changing or even fatal consequences.
Throwing his weight behind the Mirror’s campaign, he said: “I am worried about the wild west in cosmetic surgery, not just overseas with some horror stories we’ve had from people coming back and the NHS picking up the pieces, but also here at home. We’ve got a lot more to do on this.”
Top plastic surgeon Professor Vivien Lees urged the Government to meet the Mirror’s demands. Prof Lees, who is Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “Cosmetic treatment may be a New Year’s resolution for some, but patients must be aware of the significant risks, especially in unregulated high-street stores.
“The Government should follow the Daily Mirror’s lead and tighten regulations, ensuring that only surgeons with UK Board Certification are allowed to perform cosmetic surgery.”
Liberal Democrat Health spokeswoman Helen Morgan said: “Unqualified and unregulated practitioners cannot continue to carry out what can be dangerous cosmetic procedures. Too many have already suffered the consequences of botched surgery, and the public rightly want to see a crackdown on those who are gambling with patients’ safety.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “People’s lives are being put at risk by inadequately trained operators in the cosmetic sector, which is why the government is urgently exploring options for further regulation. The safety of patients is paramount, and we would urge anyone considering cosmetic procedures to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner.”
:: Deltapoll interviewed 1,552 British adults online between 19th to 23rd December 2024. The data have been weighted to be representative of the British adult population as a whole.
