Royal College of Surgeons calls for cosmetic surgery regulation
The Royal College of Surgeons has called for regulation of cosmetic surgery after a lack of action, citing safety concerns.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
More than a decade after a major report into the risks of cosmetic surgery, the Royal College of Surgeons has written to the health secretary demanding new regulations. The college says only registered specialists should be allowed to carry out the most invasive procedures, arguing that under-qualified practitioners are putting the public at risk.
The call comes as reality TV star Letitia Grace spoke about her own experience. She had six Brazilian butt lifts and now says she regrets the decisions she made when she was younger. She told ITV's The Price of Perfection that she was constantly chasing perfection, but perfection does not exist. She said she would go back to the body she used to have if she could.
The cost of botched procedures to the NHS can be as much as 19,000 pounds per case. The Royal College of Surgeons says surgery performed by under-qualified practitioners is an avoidable risk. The government has said it is working on new measures to ensure only qualified healthcare professionals perform these procedures, but some professionals say action is needed now.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| The cost to the NHS of botched cosmetic procedures can be up to 19,000 pounds per case. | |
| The government said it is working on new measures to ensure only qualified healthcare professionals perform cosmetic procedures. | |
| The Royal College of Surgeons wrote to the health secretary calling for only registered specialists to perform the most invasive cosmetic procedures. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV focused on the human impact of unregulated cosmetic surgery, using the personal story of reality TV star Letitia Grace to illustrate the dangers. The report also highlighted the financial burden on the NHS and the Royal College of Surgeons' demand for legislation, while noting the government's slow response.
- “The Royal College of Surgeons has written to the health secretary saying only registered specialists should be allowed to carry out the most invasive procedures.”
- “Cosmetic surgery can be performed by someone who just has a basic medical degree. What we really need to come out of this is legislation which will make sure that any cosmetic surgery that takes place is done by specialists on the specialist register.”
- “It's actually so sad that I've had to put my body through that because of reckless decisions I made when I was younger.”
Broadcast Timeline
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