Technology and the Keogh report - An informed and empowered public

How can iConsultAesthetic support the recommendations for an informed and empowered public?

Recommendation 31 

Evidence-based standardised patient information should be developed by the RCS Interspecialty Committee on Cosmetic Surgery. This should be done with input from patient organisations. This information should be available on NHS Choices and the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) website. 

Recommendation 32 

Patient Decision Aids (PDAs) should be developed for cosmetic procedures and these should be piloted by the RCS Interspecialty Committee on Cosmetic Surgery. 

Using Tablet Computing (iPads) Patient images are captured before treatment, and these can be used to provide a full treatment consultation. Patient can sign on screen to accept 

Recommendation 33 

The RCS Interspecialty Committee on Cosmetic Surgery should develop and describe a multi-stage is consent process for operations. This consent process should be undertaken by the operating surgeon and its use should be mandated as part of the Code of Practice. 

Using Tablet Computing (iPads) iConsultAesthetic has a full digital consent process that is stored with the patient record. 

Recommendation 34 

For non-surgical procedures, a record of consent must be held by the provider. 

Using Tablet Computing (iPads) iConsultAesthetic has a full digital consent process that is stored with the patient record. 

Recommendation 35 

The RCS Interspecialty committee should develop a code of ethical practice developed for all practitioners of cosmetic interventions, and this should include standards to ensure that any advertising is conducted in a socially responsible manner 

Recommendation 36 

CAP should extend its guidance note on cosmetic surgery advertising to cover non-surgical cosmetic procedures, and the sponsoring of TV and other programmes 

Recommendation 37 

The Review Committee considers that the following advertising practices are socially irresponsible and should be prohibited by the professional registers’ codes of practice: Time-limited deals Financial inducements Package deals, such as ‘buy one get one free’ or reduced prices for two people such mother and daughter deals, or refer a friend Offering cosmetic procedures as competition prizes. 

Recommendation 38 

Providers and practitioners should provide continuity of care. Patients should be offered appropriate follow-up and after-care, rather than stand-alone procedures. iConsultAesthetic encourages treatment planning, rather than one off treatments. 

Recommendation 39 

All organisations providing cosmetic surgery should have a doctor on the Board as Medical Director who is professionally accountable for all work carried out by the provider organisation and for its procedures, practices and wider activity. 

Recommendation 40 

The remit of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) should be extended to cover the whole private healthcare sector, including cosmetic procedures and ophthalmology. Providers should offer advice on their complaints procedures to their patients, and where appropriate this advice should be available on their websites.

Recommendation 41 

Complaints against providers that are investigated and upheld by the Ombudsman should be publicly available. 

Recommendation 42 

All individuals performing cosmetic procedures must possess adequate professional indemnity cover that is commensurate with the type of the operations being performed.

Recommendation 43 

Device manufacturer risk pools should be established. The Department of Health should work with the EU and industry to help support this. This risk pool would meet the costs of complications or corrective surgery in the event of wholesale problems with a device. 

Recommendation 44 

Patient’s rights should be protected even when a provider goes out of business. Providers of cosmetic surgery must either enter a risk pool or have appropriate insurance/financial arrangements to provide treatment following certain complications. The NHS should be able to recoup costs for management of certain complications following cosmetic procedures if the provider has been found to have failed the patient following surgery. A similar arrangement already exists following motor vehicle accidents. 

Recommendation 45 

The insurance status of all practitioners should be displayed on the practitioner register. 

Recommendation 46 

In order to ensure that all patients are adequately protected, overseas surgeons operating in this country should have the same level of professional indemnity as UK-based surgeons.