Who are BAAPS/BAPRAS?

Who are BAAPS/BAPRAS?

BAAPS (The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) and BAPRAS (The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons) are both bodies which aim to further the awareness and understanding of plastic surgery.

They aim to educate the public and provide information and support to surgeons in order to develop and maintain high standards of clinical practice.

What is the difference between the two?

There are several key differences between The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS).

BAAPS

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons is a charity which aims to advance innovation, excellence, education and safety in aesthetic plastic surgery.

The organisation aims to raise awareness of the breadth of plastic surgery, to promote innovation in teaching, learning and research and to increase overall understanding of the profession.

The founding principal of BAAPS was to educate the public about cosmetic surgery, especially the benefits and risks of procedures. Another priority of the charity is to develop and encourage the practice of excellent standards of personal, professional and ethical conduct among its members, so that they continue to be regarded as the best in their field. BAAPS regularly facilitate the interchange of knowledge between qualified surgeons and trainees. It strives to improve training in aesthetic and cosmetic surgery, providing BAAPS members to mentor newly-qualified surgeons, offering them advice and assistance.

BAAPS membership verifies that the surgeon is registered on the Specialist Register in Plastic Surgery held by the General Medical Council.

BAPRAS

Also known as the voice of plastic surgery in the UK, The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, aims to raise awareness of the breadth of plastic surgery, to promote innovation in teaching, learning and research and to increase overall understanding of the profession. The BAPRAS website is a great resource for patients considering cosmetic or reconstructive surgery and includes a wealth of patient information guides. BAPRAS has also produced a selection of clinical guidance documents for surgeons and provides information about plastic surgery research, careers advice, conferences and training and much more.

Both BAAPS and BAPRAS are endorsed by the Royal College of Surgeons and therefore offer similar reassurance to patients in terms of surgical training, best practice and patient care.

Is BAAPS/BAPRAS membership important when choosing a cosmetic surgeon?

If a surgeon is a member of either BAAPS or BAPRAS, it is a sign of quality and experience and it is a good way for patients to find out whether their surgeon is fully qualified and adheres to the highest standards of clinical practice.

Any surgeon performing cosmetic procedures must have an FCRS (Plast) qualification to join BAAPS. This qualification requires a peer-review of their training and experience. Two current members also need to vouch for them to be considered. Membership of the organisation verifies that the surgeon is registered on the Specialist Register in Plastic Surgery held by the General Medical Council (GMC). All BAAPS members are eligible to take up consultant plastic surgery roles in the NHS. Many members have already held, or are currently in, NHS consultant posts, indicating that they are fully trained up to UK standards.

To be a member of BAPRAS, a surgeon must have previously or currently hold a “substantive post” within the NHS or has held provisional BAAPS membership for at least two years.

Surgeons who take their practice seriously will seek to gain membership with both organisations, although occasionally a highly-qualified surgeon may have membership with just one of these organisations.

However it is worth noting that there are different levels of membership across BAAPS and BAPRAS. These vary according to how much training a surgeon has received, how long they have been practising and, perhaps most importantly, what membership fee has been paid to the organisation. Anyone who is considering using a BAAPS or BAPRAS member for surgery should ask these organisations for further information about the levels of membership if they are unsure what they mean.

Why does the Cadogan Clinic also work with some international surgeons who are not members of BAAPS or BAPRAS?

If a surgeon belongs to an organisation such as BAAPS and/or BAPRAS, this is a good indicator of quality and professionalism.

However, although surgeons who are members of BAAPS and/or BAPRAS are highly-qualified and highly-regarded in the cosmetic surgery industry, we recognise that there are some qualified surgeons who are experts in their field but choose not to sign up to a trade body for their own reasons.

Here at the Cadogan Clinic, we have worked with the very best surgeons internationally. Not all will be members of a UK trade body such as BAAPS or BAPRAS.

How do I find out if my surgeon is BAAPS/BAPRAS membership?

If you are looking for a qualified surgeon who is registered with The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, you will find one on the BAAPS register. You can search by postcode or surgery specialism. This will help to ensure you choose a surgeon who has had appropriate training and possesses both skills and experience.

Surgeons who are full members of The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons can be found here. However, some members of the organisation have elected not to make their profile available on this search. If you would like to check to see if a surgeon who isn't appearing in this listing is a member of BAPRAS, you are advised to get in touch with BAPRAS directly.

A fully qualified plastic surgeon will be on The Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery with the General Medical Council and should have the FCRS (Plast) qualification. The register can be easily accessed here. This list includes all fully qualified plastic surgeons, even if they are not members of BAAPS or BAPRAS.