More data needed for breast implant registry

NHS Digital have urged patients undergoing breast implant surgery to check that their details are recorded on the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry (BCIR).

The BCIR was launched in October 2016 with the aim of recording the details of patients who have implant procedures, including the type of implant their receive, enabling them to be traced if they are affected by safety concerns. This is only done with the patient’s consent. Between the launch of the registry in October 2016 and the end of January 2018, details of 12,301 patient records and 12,555 procedures were added.

As of January 2018, 231 providers had submitted data - with 38 per cent of submissions from NHS providers and 62 per cent from the independent sector. However, 39 per cent of NHS providers and 24 per cent of independent providers are still to contribute. As poor recon-keeping could make it hard for patients to be contacted if there was an issue, such as faulty Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) silicone breast implants, which were banned in 2010.

Tom Denwood, executive director of Data, Insights and Statistics at NHS Digital, said: "The development of the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry marked a major step forward in improving patient safety for those undergoing breast implant surgery. "Now we are encouraging patients to ask their surgeon to submit their data to the registry and we hope this will lead to an increase in contributions. The more information that is contained within this important tool, the more it will benefit patients."