Philosophy
Mr. Charles Malata, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, aims to provide his patents with a courteous, non-patronising, efficient and professional service using skills he obtained during his training in the best plastic surgery units in the UK and leading international centres. From the initial consultation with Professor Malata through to comprehensive post-operative support, patient care and safety are his top priorities. The main tenets of his approach to Cosmetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery are:
Professionalism
Professor Malata carries out all consultations and procedures in accredited hospitals in order to provide a safe, professional and hygienic environment. He insists on having all consultations chaperoned by a nurse. All operations are personally performed by Professor Malata. As a patient you also have the back up of the hospital staff and facilities: resident medical officer (RMO) 24 hours a day, x-ray, physiotherapy, dressings clinics, pre-admission, MRSA screening, in-patient monitoring, etc.
Safety
Your safety is paramount. Professor Malata is trained in and frequently uses options that reduce surgical and anaesthetic risk such as surgery under local anaesthesia, or the use of minimally invasive techniques e.g. key-hole surgery. In addition, when Professor Malata believes that surgery would be detrimental to you or your health, he will advise you strongly against it.
Honesty
Professor Malata will listen to you to gain a detailed understanding of your aims and wishes, helping you to safely achieve your goals, combining your goals with what can be achieved surgically. He will not perform surgery on patients who desire results that he feels are unrealistic and will not try and advise you to undergo an operation that you do not need or want.
Professor Malata will also inform you if he thinks that you are not a suitable candidate for the cosmetic procedure discussed. In these rare instances, he may recommend that you seek a second opinion.
Principled
Professor Malata frequently sees patients whose conditions are treatable on the NHS e.g. abdominoplasty following massive weight loss. If he feels that your condition may merit NHS treatment, he will inform you of this. If you wish to pursue this route, he will, with your permission, write to your GP enquiring whether they will support your treatment on the NHS.
Privacy
Complete professional discretion and privacy are an utmost priority. For your peace of mind, all consultations take place in the privacy of a hospital out-patient clinic.
Modern
Over the last decade a number of minimally invasive techniques such as Endoscopic Brow Lifts, MACS Lifts, Mini-tummy Tuck, Ultrasonic Liposuction, Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty, Modified Arm Lifts, Peri-areolar Breast Augmentation, Tumescent Liposuction, etc have been demonstrated to achieve the same results as older techniques, but without extensive scars and sometimes without general anaesthesia. Professor Malata’s cosmetic surgery fellowships in America gave him invaluable experience of modern techniques in aesthetic surgery. He regularly attends plastic surgery scientific conferences and refresher courses run by the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons in all branches of cosmetic surgery and the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons once a year.
Availability
For your convenience, Professor Malata’s secretary might be able to arrange an evening appointment both in Cambridge and Peterborough. You may want to choose an evening appointment due to family / work commitments. It is also possible to arrange your operation to be performed on a Saturday if that suits you best.
Contactability
After your consultation Professor Malata will give you his 24-hour postoperative emergency contact phone for you to use to contact him after your surgery in case of emergency. During the day time this number is automatically routed to his secretary, so it is best to call her directly on her landline (01223 573 715).
Out of hours and on the weekend please call Professor Malata directly or the ward on which you were treated (see After Care section):
- Fitzwilliam Hospital: 01733 261 717
- Spire Cambridge Lea: 01223 266 900
- Nuffield Health Cambridge Hospital: 01223 303 336
- 24-hour postoperative emergency contact phone
Making up your mind
After your consultation Professor Malata recommends a “cooling off” period before you commit to your operation. Cosmetic Surgery is not urgent surgery and you are free to return for asecond consultation to clarify matters or bring a family member or close friend to the consultation.
If you schedule your surgery more than 6 months ahead of time Professor Malata encourages you to have another consultation nearer the time of surgery so that the details of the surgery are reviewed.
No deposit is required to secure your operation date no matter how well in advance it is booked.
If you, however, wish to change a surgery date or cancel your operation Professor Malata would be grateful if you would be kind enough to contact his secretary well in advance so that the space vacated can be used for another patient!
Photography
Photographs are an important part of any plastic surgical procedure. With your permission Professor Malata will take “before and after” photographs of the area to be operated on. These pictures serve as an important guide during your operation and form part of your medical record.
All images are confidential and stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Professor Malata is registered with the Information Commissioner and complies with the Data Protection Act (1998). You may request copies of your photographs if you wish.
