THE Scottish and UK Governments have stepped up the pressure on the private cosmetic industry by saying clinics have a "moral duty" to follow in the footsteps of the NHS and offer free removal of PIP breast implants.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said last night that private surgery providers were expected to take responsibility for patients who were concerned about the products, which were filled with non-medical-grade silicone intended for use in mattresses.
Both Ms Sturgeon and Coalition Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said there was no evidence to recommend the routine removal for the 40,000 women in the UK believed to have the implants. Ms Sturgeon also said there was no record of the implants being used by the NHS in Scotland.
However, she confirmed the NHS in Scotland would offer free removal operations for any women who had had the procedure on the NHS and who were anxious about the safety of the implants, made by now-closed French firm Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP).
Ms Sturgeon said: "Where a private provider is no longer in operation or does not offer appropriate care, the NHS will support the removal of implants where that is the clinically appropriate course of action."
Mr Lansley added: "We believe private healthcare providers have a moral duty to offer the same service to their patients we will offer to NHS patients – free information, consultations, scans and removal if necessary."
A review concluded there is no clear evidence patients with PIP implants are at greater risk of harm than those with other implants.
However, experts said the anxiety felt by many women who have had the implants is a health risk and they should be provided with surgery after consultation. If a private clinic that provided PIP implants has closed, the NHS will pay for removing them if the patient is entitled to care.
Nuffield Health and Spire Healthcare said they would offer every patient free removal and replacement of the implants, but also called for the introduction of a national implant register to improve patient confidence.
Scottish consultant plastic surgeon Taimur Shoaib, a member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said all private clinics should follow suit: "These implants are not fit to be inside human beings. If you bought a car or another item that was later found to be faulty, you would expect the dealer to replace it with another one."
Marion Polhill, 38, from Dunfermline, had her PIP implants removed 16 months ago and said the silicone had leaked through the membrane without it fully rupturing.
She said: "I have all the signs of silicone poisoning. Sadly, no-one seems to be able to help – I just have to hope that my body can get rid of the silicone itself."
Dr Andy Jones, group medical director at Nuffield Health, said: "Any patient who had a PIP implant in one of our hospitals can be assured they will continue to receive the help and attention they need."
Spire Healthcare said: "We are offering every patient treated at a Spire hospital a free consultation with a specialist consultant surgeon and a screening scan.
"If, following clinical advice from the consultant, the patient chooses to have their implants removed and replaced, Spire will arrange this free of charge."
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