RCS urges surgeons to apply for new certification
The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) is launching a new system of certification which will make the cosmetic surgery industry safer for patients and enhance the reputation of the profession, and is urging all surgeons who perform cosmetic surgical procedures to apply for certification.
The system aims to help patients identify a surgeon with the appropriate training, experience and insurance to perform a specific procedure. In order to receive certification, surgeons will have to provide evidence of their training, professional skills, clinical skills, knowledge and experiences. They will also have to attend an RCS accredited professional behaviours masterclass.
“You only have to look through the adverts in lifestyle magazines to know cosmetic surgery is a booming industry in the UK,” said Mr Stephen Cannon, chair of the Cosmetic Surgery Interspecialty Committee (CSIC) and vice president of the RCS. “What many don’t know is that the law currently allows any doctor – surgeon or otherwise – to perform cosmetic surgery in the private sector. The RCS believes this certification system will help patients to find a certified surgeon, who has the appropriate training and experience to carry out a specific procedure. We also hope it will improve the reputation of a profession, which at times, comes under intense criticism in the media, sometimes with good reason.”
