The BACS Code of Practice

Before admission to the Association each member must agree to abide by the Association's Code of Practice at all times. The Code does not purport to be a complete Code of Ethics of conduct and the Council of the Association specifically reserves the right to amend the code as and when it deems appropriate.

1.All patients seeking cosmetic surgery will receive thorough and meticulous pre-operative counselling with full information both verbal and written as is necessary for a full understanding of the procedure and its complications. In addition, patients will be asked to confirm in writing that they have received and understood such information.

2.The surgeons must use their best endeavours to make sure that if non-medically trained counsellors (or any other counsellors who are not members of the medical profession) are imparting advice to patients, then that advice must not interfere/conflict with the advice that has or may be imparted to the patient by the surgeon. The regulation applies to all pre-operative advice, post-operative advice and treatment. Where the surgeon becomes aware that there has been any interference/conflicting advice, then he/she must take immediate steps to re-affirm his/her advice to the patient.

3.Adequate time should be allowed between pre-operative consultation and the operation in order to give the patient every opportunity to consider carefully all the facts pertaining to treatment.

4.The Association recognises that adequate time may vary depending upon the type of surgery requested. The Association recognises that some patients may wish to have the operation on the same day as the consultation and, if this is the case, then the patient shall be asked to sign a form stating that the Surgeon has recommended that there should be an adequate lapse of time between the consultation and the operation, that the patient has understood the advice and has instructed the Surgeon to proceed on the same day as the consultation.

5.In circumstances whereby the Surgeon becomes aware that a patient may require an operation on the same day as the consultation then he/she must use his/her best endeavours to send to the patient all relevant information and literature pertaining to his/her operation/ treatment, some time before the consultation.

6.Surgery must only be performed in places that are properly equipped and staffed for such surgery. There are some clinics and organisations recommended by BACS, and Members must not carry out cosmetic surgery in clinics or organisations that are not on the recommended list. The list is constantly reviewed and updated and a Member may approach the Council at any stage and ask for a particular organisation/clinic to be placed on the recommended list. Provided three Members of the Council approve then that organisation/clinic will be added to the recommended list.

7.All members must ensure that any literature/documentation that he/she would normally impart to his/her patients relating to the Surgeon's speciality is constantly reviewed and, where appropriate, updated. All members will, pursuant to a written request from the Council, produce copies of the aforementioned literature/documentation for inspection by the Council within 14 days of a written request.

8.All members must only perform cosmetic surgery in the approved module(s) for which they have been admitted as Members of the Association. If a member wishes to extend his Membership to cover any other approved cosmetic surgery module in respect of which he/she has not been admitted as a Member then he/she must make the appropriate application to the Membership Committee to extend his/her category of Membership.