About the Project

The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has launched a range of new tools and services to improve the quality of care for cosmetic surgery patients. Our aim is to help:

• patients to make the best decision about the procedure they are considering, and to choose the right surgeon and hospital for them - see our patient FAQ
• surgeons to demonstrate the quality of care they offer while also helping them to review outcomes and, where necessary, improve practice;
• providers of cosmetic surgery to assess the quality and safety of their services; and
• regulators, who make sure that people are provided with safe, effective and high-quality care.

Most surgeons who perform cosmetic surgery provide good care to their patients. However, the Keogh Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions (2013) highlighted an urgent need for robust regulation of cosmetic practice and made recommendations to address the problems identified.

Through the Cosmetic Surgery Interspecialty Committee (CSIC) we have worked with patients, surgical professional associations, healthcare organisations, regulators, government departments and providers to address the recommendations about cosmetic surgery. The recommendations can be read in full on the Department of Health’s website, but can broadly be divided into the following areas:

• developing standardised patient information;
• identifying clinical outcome measures;
• setting standards for training and practice (particularly on ethical issues);
• establishing a system of certification.

Membership of the CSIC has included representatives of:

• Surgical specialty associations (Association of Breast Surgery (ABS), British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS), British Association of Otorhinolaryngology (ENT-UK), British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS))
• The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth)
• The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
• Patients (including the RCS Patient Liaison Group and the Patient Information Forum)
• Academy of British Cosmetic Practice
• Association of Independent Healthcare (AIHO)
• Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN)
• Regulators (General Medical Council, Care Quality Commission)
• NHS Choices
• The Departments of Health in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the Scottish Health and Social Care Directorate (as observers)

Experts in specific areas of practice have worked directly with the CSIC and its sub-groups including psychologists. We have also been talking with and listening to people who are considering cosmetic surgery and those who have had surgery, to help us understand what they need to help them make decisions.

Useful links

• Keogh Review of The Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions (April 2013)
• Government Response to the Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions
• Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)
• Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP)
• Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN)
• Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) requirements
• Revalidation and whole practice appraisal
• Health Education England