This parliamentary question by Denis MacShane to Andrew Lansley, the Health Secretary on this very topical issue raises some very important points:
“Denis MacShane (Rotherham, Labour)
Will the Secretary of State send officials to investigate the Birkdale clinic in Rotherham and its executive, Mr Promod Bhatnagar? Scores of women have had PIP implants at the clinic and are now being told that they have to pay £2,900, in cash, to be screened and looked at again. Mr Bhatnagar has threatened groups in south Yorkshire with “unimaginable consequences” if they raise this issue. After his very unclear statement, will the Secretary of State finish by saying that as in every other European country, and standing with the women of Britain, taxpayers do not mind paying for a few hundred women to be properly investigated? My constituents have contacted me saying that the women of south Yorkshire should be able to go to their general practitioner, go straight into hospital and be seen to, and we should clear up all the fuss about bills afterwards.”
Andrew Lansley (Secretary of State, Health; South Cambridgeshire, Conservative)
I think I have been absolutely clear about what I expect to happen, in relation both to women treated through the NHS and what I expect of private providers. I have also made it clear that if private providers will not or are unable to meet that standard of care, the NHS is available to support women. It is absolutely wrong to say that we are somehow responding to women differently from other European countries, because across Europe countries affected by this are taking exactly the same view that we take. From theyworkforyou.com.
What can possibly be meant by; “Bhatnagar has threatened groups in south Yorkshire with “unimaginable consequences” if they raise this issue” Editors emphasis.
The Birkdale Clinic
Birkdale Clinic PIP implant page: http://www.birkdaleclinic.com/cosmetic-surgery/surgical-breast/pip-breast-implants/1828/
Read the letter from David Nicholson [PDF 49KB]
Read the letter from the Chief Medical Officer [PDF 53KB]
Read the PIP Breast Implants interim report
The Rotherham Advertiser: Patient slams Rotherham clinic over breast implants
London Evening Standard: Adverts to advise PIP implant women
BBC: Breast implants: Andrew Lansley calls for clinic action
Rotherham Politics 
Well, worst case is that the clinic files for bankruptcy and walks away from its financial and moral obligations, leaving the good ole taxpayer, aka the NHS, to follow up with the bucket and shovel.
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Hopefully Mr Macshane will elaborate and inform the public what evidence he has that the practitioner made such remarks. Then the relevant authorities can decide if criminal proceedings should follow and/or any operational licences should be revoked.
That aside, as a tax payer I am all in favour of our NHS using their resources to investigate and ensure the safety of anyone who has had PIP implants.
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Thanks for that Chris. MacShane has not, as far as I’m aware, repeated these statements/allegations outside of parliamentary privilege!
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I had my implants over two years ago and one worrying things is How are we are certain we have the implants what we payed for as some of us was giving a option at the time to choose the cheaper one or the lifetime ones.. But people like me would obviously chooses the lifetime ones but are we sure that there the ones we got:( I have tried in vain to contact Birkdale and left my contact details to see if there was any records to prove what I paid for TO never getting any reply at all .m They Ave took My money and now aren’t interested At all and that’s not All the operating & arrangement was a shambles from the start there was Never A check up date set as I had to make my own follow ups and one was all they offered 😦 very crap service and very misleading about there services as mine was very upsetting !!!!!!!
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Thank you very much for your comment. Unfortunately this episode of woe exposes the shortcomings and hidden costs of private medicine! Don’t they believe in insurance? Hope things get sorted for you, best wishes. Rothpol
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Up to today no joy from clinic.No help from GP.
Gp advice.Trace your surgeon put the ball in his court.No scan can be offered on NHS unless having them just removed by them.
Think traced surgeon Mr Kolar Doncaster Bassetlaw,only had a reply from hosptal but no reply from surgeon 9 days on.
We all banging our heads against a wall.we all need help from the gov and we need it now.
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we do not want him here also, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Villa-der-%C3%84sthetik-Bhatnagar-Miosga/261233544048723
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