Removal of PIP breast implants on the NHS?

[Laura2919]

Maybe for the future..women who chose to have implants for purely aesthetic reasons should be compelled to take out insurance or some similar agreement to ensure that they are cared for if something goes wrong, instead of leaving the NHS to pick up the pieces.

Does anyone know if there is something like this in place?

I don't know if there is but if there isn't then its a great idea.

 

[midori1999]

No they should not. If you wanted bigger boobs and you could find however many thousands to have them done then you should find the however many thousands to have them removed.
However if you had implants done for medical reasons i.e a massive breast size difference (my cousin had this done) then I would say they should.

Surely having implants due to massive breast size difference is having it for cosmetic reasons as opposed to a medical one? No-ones health will suffer because of what their breasts look like, except potentially their mental health and if that's the case then that can happen whatever the size and shape of your breasts.

When you say the women who had them should find however many thousands to have them removed, does that mean you think surgeons and clinics should get away with putting what are potentially dangerous and are certainly substandard products into women's bodies without their consent and that the women should just 'suck it up' and be financially out of pocket because of that?

If you brought, for example, a washing machine and it didn't work, would you be happy to pay for a new washing machine or would you expect a refund and replacement because you felt you could reasonably expect that a washign machine you bought would wash clothes? That is the same principle. Women paid for something (safe!) that they didn't get. Of course the NHS shouldn't pay, but why should the women who have these implants?

Some women have paid out in excess of £25,000 to try and repair the damage these faulty (and they were faulty from the outset) implants have done to their bodies and are still suffering ill effects from things such as silicone in their lungs which cannot be removed.

Maybe for the future..women who chose to have implants for purely aesthetic reasons should be compelled to take out insurance or some similar agreement to ensure that they are cared for if something goes wrong, instead of leaving the NHS to pick up the pieces.

Does anyone know if there is something like this in place?

Most surgery companies offer 'aftercare' packages where if, within a certain timeframe, say, 5 years, something goes wrong, they will sort out that problem, which includes further surgery if needed. However, women are now finding that companies are refusing to act on these 'policies' and are either a) trying to charge them for removal or removal and replacement or b) suggesting that the women go to the NHS for free removal.

 

[Laura2919]

No they should not. If you wanted bigger boobs and you could find however many thousands to have them done then you should find the however many thousands to have them removed.
However if you had implants done for medical reasons i.e a massive breast size difference (my cousin had this done) then I would say they should.

Surely having implants due to massive breast size difference is having it for cosmetic reasons as opposed to a medical one? No-ones health will suffer because of what their breasts look like, except potentially their mental health and if that's the case then that can happen whatever the size and shape of your breasts.

When you say the women who had them should find however many thousands to have them removed, does that mean you think surgeons and clinics should get away with putting what are potentially dangerous and are certainly substandard products into women's bodies without their consent and that the women should just 'suck it up' and be financially out of pocket because of that?

If you brought, for example, a washing machine and it didn't work, would you be happy to pay for a new washing machine or would you expect a refund and replacement because you felt you could reasonably expect that a washign machine you bought would wash clothes? That is the same principle. Women paid for something (safe!) that they didn't get. Of course the NHS shouldn't pay, but why should the women who have these implants?

Some women have paid out in excess of £25,000 to try and repair the damage these faulty (and they were faulty from the outset) implants have done to their bodies and are still suffering ill effects from things such as silicone in their lungs which cannot be removed.

Maybe for the future..women who chose to have implants for purely aesthetic reasons should be compelled to take out insurance or some similar agreement to ensure that they are cared for if something goes wrong, instead of leaving the NHS to pick up the pieces.

Does anyone know if there is something like this in place?

Most surgery companies offer 'aftercare' packages where if, within a certain timeframe, say, 5 years, something goes wrong, they will sort out that problem, which includes further surgery if needed. However, women are now finding that companies are refusing to act on these 'policies' and are either a) trying to charge them for removal or removal and replacement or b) suggesting that the women go to the NHS for free removal.

Actually no I think it genuinely makes someone feel really crap about themselves. I know how it feels because I am one of those women, I just have never had the courage to speak about it so I wear a chicken fillet instead! It's completely different to having a pair of breasts that look the same but are just small or look too real.. When my cousin had here done she had to see a therapist to work through the issues associated with her difference in size.
And before you start to put words into people's mouths I never said that the private clinics should get away with it because they really shouldn't but that doesn't mean that the NHS have to fork out to pay for all these women to have their implants removed!!

As for the washing machine of course I'd want it changed but if I brought it from Comet I hardly going to burst into Best Buy and ask for a refund now am I? I am going to go with whoever sold it to me.. So I fail to see how that's got anything to do with implants lol. If my breasts were done by one person I shouldn't expect the NHS to cover it for free when there is a problem. Unfortunately the NHS isn't there to fall back on when you get something done and need it reversed..

 

[midori1999]

A lot of the women have different sized breasts and just live with it, no psychological trauma. Of course, that doesn't mean that everyone with different sized breasts will feel the same. Just like it doesn't mean that everyone with breasts that are the same size will be happy with them and not suffer psychologically because of their size, shape etc. The two things might be different to you, but you can't judge how everyone else might feel by how you would feel about something.

Regardless of that, because why these women had the surgery isn't the issue here, no-one wants the NHS to foot the bill for this. I do think though, that the NHS is there at point of need and the fact is, although people should have planned for potential repeat surgery, they couldn't have planned for this and although I don't like the NHS paying for negligence on the part of clinics, the NHS is there for those who need it, no judgement, so if women's implants have ruptured, putting their health at risk and there's no other way for them to get surgery, then I don't think the NHS has got much choice.

I do wonder if people would feel the same if someone had gone private for, say, a double mastectomy or heart surgery, privately and that went wrong, leaving the NHS to foot the bill. Same things, private health care/surgery companies passing off their mistakes onto the NHS, it's been happening for years.

 

[Lina]

A lot of the women have different sized breasts and just live with it, no psychological trauma. Of course, that doesn't mean that everyone with different sized breasts will feel the same. Just like it doesn't mean that everyone with breasts that are the same size will be happy with them and not suffer psychologically because of their size, shape etc. The two things might be different to you, but you can't judge how everyone else might feel by how you would feel about something.

Regardless of that, because why these women had the surgery isn't the issue here, no-one wants the NHS to foot the bill for this. I do think though, that the NHS is there at point of need and the fact is, although people should have planned for potential repeat surgery, they couldn't have planned for this and although I don't like the NHS paying for negligence on the part of clinics, the NHS is there for those who need it, no judgement, so if women's implants have ruptured, putting their health at risk and there's no other way for them to get surgery, then I don't think the NHS has got much choice.

I do wonder if people would feel the same if someone had gone private for, say, a double mastectomy or heart surgery, privately and that went wrong, leaving the NHS to foot the bill. Same things, private health care/surgery companies passing off their mistakes onto the NHS, it's been happening for years.

I agree largely with your argument, but life saving heart surgery or mastectomy to stop the spread of cancer is hardly the same as someone enlarging their breasts because they don't like the 'shape' of them? Often these people are facing long queues and fork out money they wouldn't be able to afford. On another note, why someone would put themselves through the risk of surgery and sedation because of vanity is beyond me, but it seems to have dawned on many too late.

 

[Laura2919]

Honestly are you actually comparing a mastectomy and heart surgery to breast implants? How ridiculous. They are completely different! I wouldn't have a double mastectomy for cosmetic reasons.

The NHS don't just say yeah you can have your breasts done its not that simple, you have to talk about how it makes you feel and yes it does affect people in ways you wouldn't understand. I don't think the same applies to someone who had theirs done for purely cosmetic reasons... Sorry but the two are not the same.

 

[Rhi_Rhi1]

LOL if my washing machine broke and was out of warranty I WOULD have to pay to have it fixed.... i wouldn't ring up the nhs and ask them to fix it lmao... what an insane comparison. I'm afraid all of these women should be billed to have these implants removed.

 

[Nibblenic]

Tbh apart from the emergency removals, which im sure the NHS will end up dealing with anyway. I dont htink that many women will opt to have the removed on the NHS. As the nhs are only offering removal, which leave saggy skin and will be cosmetically unappealing I would imagine.
Since the implants put in privately will in the majority done for cosmetic reasons I dont think these same women will want to be left with just the look of a removal

 

[midori1999]

Honestly are you actually comparing a mastectomy and heart surgery to breast implants? How ridiculous. They are completely different! I wouldn't have a double mastectomy for cosmetic reasons.

The NHS don't just say yeah you can have your breasts done its not that simple, you have to talk about how it makes you feel and yes it does affect people in ways you wouldn't understand. I don't think the same applies to someone who had theirs done for purely cosmetic reasons... Sorry but the two are not the same.

So it's OK to pick up the bill for private surgery, as long as it's not for selfish, vain breast enhanchers? (Some of whom could well have gone to the NHS for said enhancement in the first place, but chose not to, although ti seems had they chosen to use NHS recources in the first place, then it seems people feel they would now be entitled to NHS help now?)

LOL if my washing machine broke and was out of warranty I WOULD have to pay to have it fixed.... i wouldn't ring up the nhs and ask them to fix it lmao... what an insane comparison. I'm afraid all of these women should be billed to have these implants removed.

The point is, these implants are 'under warranty' in a lot of cases, but it seems as private clinics know the NHS will remove if they need to, they think they can refer women to the NHS instead of facing up to their responsibilities.

I do agree the NHS shouldn't have to pay, but the point of it is, it is there to treat people whose health is in immediate danger or risk. If we start saying 'well, that's your own fault (and I don't believe the women who had this surgery are at fault here) then where does it stop? Not treating pregnant women because they knew the risks? Letting drunk drivers die after crashes because it was 'their fault'? Refusing to to pump the stomachs of drunks that get admitted on a Friday night?

Lots of women will end up paying anyway, because they don't think the NHS should have to.

Tbh apart from the emergency removals, which im sure the NHS will end up dealing with anyway. I dont htink that many women will opt to have the removed on the NHS. As the nhs are only offering removal, which leave saggy skin and will be cosmetically unappealing I would imagine.
Since the implants put in privately will in the majority done for cosmetic reasons I dont think these same women will want to be left with just the look of a removal

I think you're right and that in a lot of cases the reasons that led women to have the implants in the first place mean they couldn't contemplate their lives without them now. Some will be so in fear of their health though or already so seriously ill that they won't have any choice and I can't help but wonder where that will leave them emotionally.

 

[Laura2919]

Yeah you got it in one! If they could of had them done on the NHS they should of done and then would of been ok and been able to have them removed but because they didn't they cant expect the NHS to pay for them all to have them removed.

People don't have heart surgery and a mastectomy for cosmetic reasons so I still fail to see how you can even use those as a comparison!

 

[midori1999]

I find it strange that you think it's ok for the NHS to fund cosmetic surgery, but not treat women who are sick? Women who, by the way, don't want the NHS to pay.

The 'comparison' was that the private actor have been passing the buck to the NHS for years, but people see it differently when the victims of shoddy private healthcare have had cosmetic surgery.

 

[Laura2919]

Maybe just maybe it might make people stop and think 'is it actually worth it?' just incase a problem like this raises its head again!!!! So the NHS should be used as a bail out because the private clinics aren't doing anything about it? Yes its wrong and they should be replacing them, at the very least taking them out but I don't see why, just because its there should the NHS be forking out for all these women to have their implants removed..

You won't change my mind. I believe that the NHS shouldn't remove them and if they do some sort of base price should have to be paid.

Pointless anyway because they will change their minds and remove them all if the ladies want them removed.

 

[midori1999]

The NHS have already said they will remove. The Welsh Assembly have now said they'll remove and replace. I suppose their reasons for doing so are a) the principles of the NHS in the first place and b) our government allowed and approved these implants for use here.

What should happen is that the government will seek (with all means at their disposal according to them) costs back from the clinics.

I think there are lessons to be learned out of this. Generally though, cosmetic surgery is pretty low risk in the surgery world if the patient is herbal thy. Of course, things can go wrong and any sensible person would expect that, but I think it's reasonable if you want breast implants to expect to get the safe, tested product you have paid for.

 

[sophxx]

I think of people payed for them private then they should have them taken out where they had them pit in. Its not up to the nhs they made the deacon to pay for them
When they went private they is always a chance something could happen or go wrong and they should have the money to correct it also they need to be replaced every ten years surely people would have started saving up for that? I do think the company who put te
In should foot the bill but if try don't I do t think nhs should have to. I read about a woman having hers removed at a nhs hospital they just charged her for the staff which was about 1500 which is fair enough x