When I read this announcement from Jeremy Hunt earlier today I thought it pointless to comment because I don’t think it has any value in relation to refractive eye surgery.
www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/21/...P=Share_iOSApp_Other
However, after being contacted by a few excited people who mistakenly understood it to be some kind of breakthrough in regard to regulation, I will comment...
• The Department of Health said: "
Shining a light on poor care in this manner is an essential part of developing an open and honest learning culture, where mistakes are acted upon and prevented from reoccurring."
If only! The government is fully aware of the high numbers of patients damaged by the high street industry yet choose to do nothing, repeatedly claiming that the clinics/surgeons are regulated by the GMC, CQC and RCOphth - they are NOT!
• "
Since the PIP breast implant scandal in 2012, we have made good progress raising the standards of care in the cosmetics industry so patients can feel confident they are getting the best care from professionals with the right qualifications.”
I have no idea whether or not anything has changed in the cosmetics industry, but what about the refractive eye surgery industry?
• "
Up to 100 cosmetic surgery clinics will be given transparent ratings that will give potential users a simple guide to the quality of the clinics in their area. There will be four ratings: outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.”
The CQC will rate a clinic’s facilities - NOT the surgeons! Also, it’s wrong to include refractive surgery under the cosmetic umbrella as it minimises the seriousness of eye surgery.
Only government regulation can make the difference so desperately needed to stop this scandalous industry acting as they do!
Meanwhile, perhaps Jeremy Hunt would like to come and hang out with the fairies at the bottom of my garden, while I wait to see how many excuses the new health minister (Nicola Blackwood) will give to avoid meeting me before the next general election!