BCAM Launches New Committee To Spearhead Regulation And Ethics

The British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) continues its pioneering work in the area of regulation and ethics with the formation of a new committee that will inform and advise the board of trustees.

The BCAM Regulatory, Ethics and Professional Standards Committee is chaired by Dr John Curran, who offered to support the College with his expertise and experience in this complex and challenging area. The committee comprises nine other BCAM members: Dr Paul Cronin, Dr Eithne Deignan, Dr Bhavjit Kaur, Dr Tahera Bhojani-Lynch, Prof Rhoda Mackenzie, Dr Rita Rakus, Dr Sam Robson, Dr Julia Sevi and Dr Richard Sibthorpe.

Most committee members are also BCAM appraisers with many years’ experience in the Aesthetic Medicine sector. Dr Rakus and Dr Cronin, along with Dr Curran, are founding members of BCAM and have extensive knowledge of how the College has evolved throughout its 20-year history.

Dr Curran said: “I was honoured to be asked to lead this advisory group which will focus on all areas of regulation and ethics pertaining to Aesthetic Medicine.

“The committee members have great breadth of experience and are well placed to guide and advise BCAM’s board on these issues. Regulation is a prominent topic with the success of the Bill banning toxin injections and fillers for under-18s and it is crucial to maintain momentum and raise awareness of the lack of regulation across the sector which puts the public at great risk.

“As a group of doctors and dentists practising Aesthetic Medicine, we are committed to raising standards and promoting good practice. Ultimately, we seek to establish Aesthetic Medicine as a medical specialty in its own right, thereby introducing a regulatory structure that would best protect the public.”

BCAM strongly supported Sevenoaks MP Laura Trott’s Private Members Bill to outlaw toxin injections and filler treatments for under 18s that will become law in the autumn and is committed to campaigning for further regulation of the Aesthetic Medicine sector.

The committee, which has so far met twice, has a remit to review stakeholder reports and statements, to inform BCAM decision-making on future campaigning and lobbying and to ensure that the College’s own code of conduct reflects the high professional standards expected of its members.

Committee member Prof Rhoda Mackenzie said: “This committee is an important step forward in ensuring that the subspecialty of aesthetic medicine is carried out in a safe and ethical manner. Robust regulation and the highest standards are paramount in order to protect patients”.

Dr Tahera Bhojani-Lynch added: “Any group of professionals is only as good as the values it upholds. The Regulatory, Ethics and Professional Standards Committee will strive to ensure that the best standards of medical and surgical practice are at the heart of BCAM's membership.”

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