Laws regulating cosmetic surgery planned

Laws to regulate the cosmetic surgery industry are being prepared, according to Health Minister James Reilly.

These would include qualification standards for staff. However, there is still no date for their introduction — four years after a report on patient safety identified cosmetic surgery as a priority area for a licensing and inspection regime.

Dr Reilly was asked in a written Dáil question if he intended to update the regulatory regime after the PIP scandal in which 1,500 Irish women received defective breast implants.

“My officials are currently working on the Licensing of Health Facilities Bill which will provide for a mandatory system of licensing for public and private health service providers,” he said.

“I expect to receive outline proposals for the new system of licensing shortly.”

The laws will be based on recommendations of the Madden Commission on patient safety, which reported in 2008 that regulation was urgently needed.

It proposed a regime where clinics would have to re-apply for a license every three years. They would be required to have:

* Risk management systems.

* Appropriate equipment and structures.

* Information management systems in place.

* Appropriately trained and competent staff.

* Arrangements for the removal of patients to another facility if problems arise.

Dr Reilly said the EU was carrying out “stress tests” on its medical devices regulations, to see if they were sufficient to resolve the issues highlighted by the scandal of the faulty implants.

Fine Gael TD Mary Mitchell O’Connor, who tabled the question, said women affected by the PIP impact scandal were “in a living hell”.

“There are clear lessons to be learned from the PIP implant cases. We must ensure they are acted on for the benefit of future generations.”

At least 40,000 women in France and 30,000 in Britain were affected when it emerged that Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) had used a silicone gel not approved for medical purposes.

“Women with these implants are advised that if they have any concerns about their breasts or implants they should seek clinical advice from their implanting surgeon,” said Dr Reilly.

Anyone planning to undergo cosmetic surgery “should endeavour to seek the services of reputable providers”, he said.

Under current law, a doctor can set themselves up as a cosmetic surgeon without having the specialist qualifications to conduct surgery.

There are also concerns that doctors can fly into Ireland once a month, operate for two days and have one day of consulting, and then fly on to somewhere else.

The lack of a central register or authority means doctors do not have to report cases of breast implant ruptures. Laws to force all medical practitioners engaged in clinical practice to have adequate clinical indemnity insurance are also promised by year-end.