McIndoe Surgical Support Findings of ‘Which?’ Report

As a leading cosmetic surgery hospital, which has performed hundreds of reconstructive and cosmeticoperations we are very supportive of the findings of a recent Which? report that has exposed the dangers of bad practice in the industry.

The report which investigated a number of clinics in England and Wales concluded that, on some occasions, the industry was putting marketing tactics and sales practices before patient safety. The report cited three problematic areas – the use of aggressive marketing which puts undue pressure on consumers; poor quality information leading to uninformed choices; and extensive rule breaking which goes unchecked because of weak and patchy regulation.

David Irvine, Executive Director of McIndoe Surgical Centre, welcomes the report and is concerned by some of the practises highlighted in the investigation. “It concerns me to read of the poor practices which are employed by a number of cosmetic surgery providers,” said David. “Offering time sensitive discounts, non-medical staff giving inappropriate advice, downplaying the risk of treatments and misleading claims are all serious actions of misconduct and ones which can damage the general reputation of the industry,” he added.

“I’d like to reassure consumers that this isn’t common practice across the industry and at BMI McIndoe Surgical Centre we operate the highest standards of patient care. We don’t employ sales teams, all patients will see their consultant two to three times prior to surgery and we don’t charge cancellation fees. Our hospital is fully licensed and registered with the Healthcare Commission, regulated under the Care Standards Act 2002 and we endorse an annual quality improvement programme. We’re also recognised by the Royal College of Plastic Surgeons as a training centre for cosmetic procedures, “he concluded.

McIndoe has 19 regular cosmetic and plastic surgeons, all of whom hold or have held NHS consultant posts and are on the specialist register of the General Medical Council. As a specialist centre the surgeons provide cover and support for each other, alongside support staff with dedicated skills in nursing and theatre. More than 3,000 procedures each year are carried out at the clinic in East Grinstead and a recent patient survey revealed that over 98% of patients would recommend McIndoe. At McIndoe Surgical Centre we have put together the following guide for people who are considering having a cosmetic surgery procedure:

Do Your Research
Research the procedure you are planning to have. This will ensure you are well-prepared, know all the pros and cons, and can assess whether it is right for you. Also, choose a hospital or clinic that is fully licensed and registered with the Healthcare Commission or equivalent and find out more about that hospital. Your GP may be able to make recommendations but all clinics are now required to provide a patient’s guide detailing the services they offer, the cost, as well as information on making comments, complaints or suggestions. Ask the clinic for a copy of their patient’s guide.

Have a Consultation
Choose the right consultant. If possible, get a referral from your GP as, with your permission, he or she can provide any relevant patient history that may assist your surgeon. Make sure your consultation is with the consultant who will perform your procedure. A sales rep is not qualified to assess your surgical needs and reputable practices do not use sales teams to assess patients.

Ask Questions
What standard of care can you expect from support staff? Ask about the training of nurses and if possible ask to see the room and other hospital facilities that you will be using before and after surgery. Ask the consultant to talk you through all aspects of the procedure including aftercare and make sure any queries you have are answered before you proceed.

Ask your surgeon about his or her experience in performing the specific procedure you are planning to have. It is important particularly if you are having an unusual or complicated procedure that you are confident about the skills of your surgeon.

Reputable clinics will not charge a cancellation fee so check the clinic’s policy regarding this. Also, know what to do if something goes wrong. Ask the clinic at the outset what their procedure is in correcting any problems or offering further treatment if you are unhappy with the result. Cosmetic surgery clinics and hospitals are required to have a written policy and procedures for handling complaints and they should be happy to explain these to you.

For further information on McIndoe Surgical Centre, call 0800 917 4922 or visit www.mcindoe-surgical.co.uk