Endorsement of GMC Specialist Register for Plastic Surgeons represents key milestone for patient safety

8th April 2014

 

One of our main goals as an Association is to ensure that there is clear guidance for the public to help recognise the professional credibility of plastic surgeons. 

As the breadth of individual specialties continues to expand and increase in complexity, particularly within the field of cosmetic surgery, it has become increasingly important that there is a single point of reference to establish the credentials of a surgeon. 

BAPRAS has long felt that the General Medical Council’s (GMC) Specialist Register of Plastic Surgeons is the best way to do this. However, we became aware that ambiguities over whether the Register was able to effectively convey the full picture of what constitutes expert care may be affecting practitioners’ decisions to display their Specialist Registration status. We became concerned that this, in turn, would increase the risk of vulnerable patients visiting inappropriately qualified practitioners and thereby compromising their safety. 

We also became aware that the GMC website was not a public-facing tool for prospective patients to easily use as a guide to finding a competent surgeon.

Earlier this year we met with the Chief Executive of the GMC, Niall Dickson, to enquire whether its Specialist Register was being appropriately used, supported and publicised as a means for vulnerable patients to identify best practice within the profession.

We are pleased to say that the meeting was beneficial and productive for both parties. The GMC recognised the legitimacy of our concerns, and we’re delighted to announce that they have since fully endorsed the use of the Specialist Register as the only objective method currently available to identify who has received formal plastic surgery training and passed the professional examinations that are recognised by the GMC.

This endorsement marks significant progress in improving patient safety standards and will help ensure that the professional expertise of plastic surgeons is properly recognised.

In February 2014, the Government issued its response to Sir Bruce Keogh’s review of the regulation of cosmetic interventions, which endorsed the key recommendation that only doctors on a GMC Specialist Register should perform cosmetic surgery. Furthermore, it was stated that these registered practitioners should work within the scope of their specialist training, and this remit be reflected on the register itself.

These recommendations help to support BAPRAS’ call for more robust methods of sign-posting patients to practitioners with properly assessed professional expertise and qualifications. It is for these reasons that our Association has called on all members to clearly display their GMC plastic surgery specialist registry number at the forefront of all their promotional materials including websites, letterheads, printed literature and business cards.

With this endorsement and recognition of the urgency of improving safety around cosmetic interventions, we will now start a more active communications campaign to promote this as the best currently available safety indicator for the public.

Of course, there is still more work to be done – a more up to date method of identifying current practice specialties will be key to strengthening the Specialist Register, alongside the development of a robust credentialing system linked to revalidation.

We’re looking forward to working with the GMC to help implement these developments and look forward to updating you on our progress. 

Graeme Perks, President
Peter Budny, Chair of Communications Committee

 

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