Plastic surgery manpower, training, and prospects in Great Britain

Compared with all other developed Western countries, Great Britain has a gross underprovision of trained and trainee plastic surgeons. As a result, it has become essential to define specific priority conditions admitted for treatment without unreasonable delay. This has resulted in large waiting lists for nonurgent surgery. In 1985 the average number of patients on each plastic surgeon's waiting list exceeded 400, of which over 60% had waited over 12 months for operative treatment. The implications of this situation for patient care and trainee experience are discussed.