In recent years in Spain, the number of surgical interventions for aesthetic purposes (those not included in the benefits basket) as well as the number of private health centres offering cosmetic surgery, has increased significantly. The proliferation of this kind of centres has generated a growing demand for better regulation of its activity. In this context, the Ministry of Health published an Order on 21 September amending the previous Royal Decree 1277/2003, which establishes the bases for the authorization of health centres, services and establishments.
The new Order aims to restrict the performance of cosmetic surgery procedures to only those healthcare professionals passing the residency program for Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery or another surgical or medical-surgical specialization that includes competencies in aesthetic surgery.