Plastic surgery integral to creating high quality outcomes in emergency surgery care
Media Release- 8 April 2011
“We welcome these findings and support the recommendations made to ensure that patients are given the care they need and deserve when they are at their most vulnerable. Plastic Surgery continues to play an important role with regards to emergency surgery care, and we welcome action which enables this acute speciality to be involved in multi-disciplinary teams in order to provide the highest quality outcomes for patients, regardless of where they are situated.
“Plastic Surgery is often mistakenly identified as only being concerned with planned operations, whereas the truth of the matter is that we handle a very large proportion of primary trauma cases resulting in unscheduled care. Our breadth of experience means we can work on any part of the body required, and particularly faces and hands where our unique skills are most often needed.
“Making patients our priority remains key - and we look to the NHS to implement the report recommendations made in a timely way so that this can be achieved.”
[ENDS]
About BAPRAS
• BAPRAS, the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, is the voice of plastic surgery in the UK. It aims to increase the understanding of the professional specialty and scope of plastic surgery, promoting innovation in teaching, learning and research.
• Founded in 1946 (originally as the British Association of Plastic Surgeons), today BAPRAS has nearly 800 members and is the official professional representative body for reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgeons providing services to patients on the NHS and privately in the UK.
• Members of the public can find a member plastic surgeon in their area by logging on to www.bapras.org.uk. The GMC specialist register can be checked to find out if a surgeon is on the plastic surgery specialist register; www.gmc-uk.org/register/search/index.asp
About the report
• The report ‘Emergency Surgery: standards for unscheduled surgical care’ is published by the Royal college of Surgeons with the support of the specialty surgical associations. The working group included representatives from: Royal College of Pathologists; Association of Surgeons of Great Britain & Ireland; RCS Patient Liaison Group; British Association of Paediatric Surgeons; Royal College of Physicians; Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery; ENT UK; British Orthopaedic Association; College of Emergency Medicine; British Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons; Royal College of Radiologists; Society for British Neurological Surgeons; British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons; Intensive Care Society; Royal College of GPs; Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust; British Association of Urological Surgeons; Royal College of Anaesthetists; Care Quality Commission.