Thousands missed from breast implant registry

Thousands of women are being missed off the breast implant registry, new figures suggest.

Data from NHS Digital, which manages the register, implies that around 8500 women across England and Scotland have not been added to the register after they were fitted with an implant last year.

The register was recommended as a result of the breast implant scandal which saw some women fitted with faulty implants. 

It records the details of every person who has breast implant surgery in case of a product recall or another safety concern.

But the latest figures suggest that many are being missed off the register and NHS Digital has asked women undergoing such treatment to ensure their surgeon has registered their details.

The figures show that operations on 10,500 people were recorded in 2020. But officials have estimated this represents around 55% of the total number of cases. This means that approximately 8485 people were not added.

Lee Martin, NHS breast surgeon and chairman of the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry steering group, said: "We want all patients, past and present, to be aware that the registry exists and ensure they are included by speaking to their surgeons."

"As a surgeon, I know first-hand the importance of patient information being included on the registry, it's crucial in providing good patient care and provides patients with assurance that they will be followed up with if there are issues with their breast implants in the future."

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Source: Medscape, 10 November 2021