Before your first appointment
Find out more and talk it through
If you’re considering having a cosmetic procedure, do your research on the procedure, the doctor who will treat you and the place in which it will be carried out. The NHS Choices website is a good place to start.
You might want to talk it through with friends and family, GP or physician associate, or find out about the experiences of people who have had similar procedures – for example, through online discussion forums.
Check your doctor’s, physician associate’s or anaesthesia associate’s registration
You can check our registers to make sure that your doctor, physician associate or anaesthesia associate meets our requirements and can work in the UK.
What if your practitioner isn’t a doctor?
We know lots of procedures may be carried out by other professionals. This may include a physician associate or anaesthesia associate, who are also registered with the GMC. Again, NHS Choices (see above) has some useful advice on this.
Check your clinic or hospital
For surgical procedures
If you’re considering a surgical cosmetic procedure, make sure the clinic or hospital is registered with the relevant regulatory body. These are:
- England – Care Quality Commission
- Northern Ireland – The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority
- Scotland – Healthcare Improvement Scotland
- Wales – Healthcare Inspectorate Wales.
These regulators inspect clinics and hospitals, to check that their standards of practice are being met and care is delivered in a safe environment. You can find inspection reports on their websites.
The Royal College of Surgeons of England website has information that can help you choose a hospital and a surgeon – no matter what part of the UK you live in – who has the right skills and experience for the procedure.
For non-surgical procedures
Organisations that provide only non-surgical cosmetic procedures, such as dermal fillers or Botox®, should also do so in a safe and suitable environment. In Scotland, organisations that provide these procedures are regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (see above). Across the UK, some providers also sign up to voluntary registration with organisations such as:
