Guidance for doctors who offer cosmetic interventions, published by the General Medical Council in 2016 and updated in December 2024, describes cosmetic interventions as:
‘…any intervention, procedure or treatment carried out with the primary objective of changing an aspect of a patient’s physical appearance. This includes surgical and non-surgical procedures, both invasive and non-invasive’.
Over recent years there has been an explosion of cosmetic surgery procedures; this growth has been partly contributed to by online discounts. With this increase in procedures comes the potential for things to go wrong.
Examples of common types of claim are:
failure to obtain informed consent
breast enlargement and reduction
facelifts (ryhtidectomy)
eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty)
botox and dermal filler treatment
nose reshaping (rhinoplasty)
ear reshaping (otoplasty)
brow lifts
laser skin resurfacing
cosmetic dentistry
tummy tucks or gastric band surgery
liposuction
other complications of surgery, such as damage to nerves, arteries and organs
Cosmetic surgery claims are treated as if they are clinical negligence claims and, in practice, run as such.
A claim for damages will be brought under contract and/or tort law. Where
To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.
**Trials are provided to all LexisNexis content, excluding Practice Compliance, Practice Management and Risk and Compliance, subscription packages are tailored to your specific needs. To discuss trialling these LexisNexis services please email customer service via our online form. Free trials are only available to individuals based in the UK, Ireland and selected UK overseas territories and Caribbean countries. We may terminate this trial at any time or decide not to give a trial, for any reason. Trial includes one question to LexisAsk during the length of the trial.
PI & Clinical Negligence analysis: This case concerned a claim relating to childhood physical and sexual abuse in a care home in the 1980s. The key...
This week’s edition of PI & Clinical Negligence weekly highlights includes developments on indemnity costs, a clinical negligence decision concerning...
Dispute Resolution analysis: In Bassey v Whittaker, Mr Justice Cavanagh held that, absent agreement between the parties, a significant development in...
Dispute Resolution analysis: Following the dismissal of the claimants’ claims, it was ordered that they pay the defendant’s costs on the indemnity...
Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of caseA strike out order can be made either following an application by the parties or on the court's own initiative. This Practice Note deals with the scenario of the order being made following a party's application.Making an application
Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?A limited company having a share capital may not alter that share capital, except in the ways listed in section 617 of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006). Shares in a company cannot simply be cancelled without following an
Template for regulatory references given by SMCR firms and disclosure requirements[Insert addressee details]Dear [insert name][It is our understanding that [insert name of prospective employee] [was an employee of yours between the dates of [insert dates as appropriate] OR is a current employee of
What are the rules for validly serving a section 27 Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 notice on the landlord outside of the UK?There are various rules which govern when a section 27 notice can be served and what information needs to be included which are outside the scope of this Q&A. Notice may be
0330 161 1234