Last updated: 15 September 2026 Effective from: 15 September 2026
1. Purpose of this policy
OWN YR LOOK (OYL) aims to publish accurate, fair and responsible information about cosmetic surgery, patient safety and specialist plastic surgeons.
This policy explains:
● how to report inaccurate or outdated information;
● how to complain about OYL content, a directory profile or OYL’s service;
● how OYL assesses complaints and patient-safety concerns;
● when a surgeon or other person will be offered a right of response;
● the corrections and other actions OYL may take; and
● the matters OYL cannot investigate or determine.
OYL is operated by Annabelle Baugh, a sole trader trading as OWN YR LOOK.
2. Our principles
OYL will aim to handle complaints and correction requests:
● fairly and impartially;
● respectfully and without unnecessary delay;
● according to the evidence available;
● with appropriate regard for patient safety, accuracy, privacy and freedom of expression;
● without treating an allegation or complaint as proof of wrongdoing;
● with a reasonable opportunity for affected people to respond where appropriate; and
● in accordance with applicable law and OYL’s published policies.
We will distinguish clearly between facts, allegations, opinions, regulatory investigations and formal findings.
Criticism of OYL, disagreement with our position or a complainant’s decision to contact a regulator will not, by itself, result in less favourable treatment.
3. What this policy covers
This policy applies to complaints and correction requests concerning:
● factual information in an OYL directory profile;
● a surgeon’s registration, specialist status, qualifications or professional memberships;
● clinic, hospital or facility information displayed by OYL;
● statements, images, testimonials or claims supplied by a surgeon or representative;
● OYL articles, safety updates, interviews, social-media content and educational resources;
● inaccurate, misleading, outdated or incomplete information;
● failure to disclose a relevant commercial relationship;
● misuse of OYL membership, verification or ambassador branding;
● OYL’s verification or membership processes;
● the handling of a patient enquiry submitted through OYL;
● privacy, accessibility or inappropriate website content; and
● the way OYL has handled a previous complaint.
4. Matters OYL cannot determine
OYL is not a medical regulator, healthcare provider, court, ombudsman or compensation service.
OYL cannot:
● determine whether clinical negligence or professional misconduct occurred;
● decide whether treatment was clinically appropriate;
● provide a medical diagnosis or assess current symptoms;
● order a surgeon or clinic to provide treatment, refunds or compensation;
● resolve a contractual dispute between a patient and provider;
● compel a person or organisation to provide evidence;
● overturn a regulator’s, court’s or professional body’s decision; or
● provide legal advice or representation.
Where a complaint concerns treatment or service received, the complainant should normally contact the surgeon or clinic directly and use the provider’s complaints procedure.
A serious concern about a doctor’s fitness to practise should be reported to the relevant medical regulator. A concern about a clinic or hospital should be reported to the relevant facility regulator. In England, relevant bodies may include the General Medical Council and the Care Quality Commission.
OYL may still consider whether the information affects the accuracy of its content or a surgeon’s continuing eligibility for the directory.
5. Medical emergencies and urgent health concerns
Do not use this complaints process for a medical emergency or urgent postoperative symptoms.
In the UK, call 999 for a life-threatening emergency. Contact NHS 111, your treating surgeon or clinic, or another appropriate healthcare professional for urgent advice.
If you are outside the UK, contact the appropriate emergency or healthcare service in your location.
OYL cannot provide emergency assistance or clinical advice.
6. How to submit a complaint or correction request
Email annabelle@ownyrlook.com with the subject line: Complaint or correction request.
Please include, where possible:
● your name and preferred contact details;
● the URL of the relevant OYL page or profile;
● the name of the surgeon, clinic, article or content concerned;
● the specific words, image or information you believe is inaccurate or inappropriate;
● what you believe is wrong and why;
● the correction or outcome you are requesting;
● links to relevant official records or reliable sources; and
● copies of supporting evidence you are lawfully entitled to provide.
Please identify the precise statement or information at issue. A general assertion that a page is “wrong”, “unfair” or “defamatory” may not provide enough information for OYL to investigate.
You may ask for reasonable assistance if disability, language, literacy or another accessibility need makes a written complaint difficult.
7. Protecting personal and medical information
Please do not send complete medical records, intimate photographs, identification documents or another person’s confidential information unless OYL has specifically requested them and they are genuinely necessary.
Where evidence contains information that is not relevant, redact it before sending. This may include addresses, dates of birth, financial details, signatures, document numbers and information about other patients.
If OYL requires additional sensitive information, we will explain why it is needed and how it should be provided.
Personal information submitted with a complaint will be handled in accordance with OYL’s Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection law.
8. Complaints made on behalf of someone else
You may complain on behalf of another person if you have their authority or another lawful basis for doing so.
OYL may ask for reasonable evidence of that authority before discussing personal information or progressing parts of the complaint.
Parents, guardians or other authorised representatives may raise concerns for a child or a person who cannot reasonably act for themselves. OYL will consider the individual’s privacy, capacity, safety and best interests.
9. Anonymous and confidential reports
OYL may consider an anonymous report, particularly where it identifies an official record, an urgent safety issue or information that can be independently checked.
Anonymous reporting may limit our ability to:
● clarify the concern;
● verify the evidence;
● provide progress updates;
● put detailed allegations to the person concerned; or
● explain the final outcome.
You may ask OYL not to disclose your identity to the surgeon or organisation concerned. We will respect that request where reasonably possible, but we cannot guarantee complete confidentiality.
Information may need to be disclosed where:
● it is necessary for a fair and meaningful response;
● the information itself identifies its source;
● disclosure is required by law, court order or a regulator;
● there is a serious and immediate risk to someone’s safety; or
● OYL needs confidential professional advice.
Where practicable and lawful, OYL will discuss a proposed disclosure with you first.
10. Acknowledgement and timescales
OYL aims to:
● acknowledge a complaint or correction request within five working days;
● carry out an initial assessment within ten working days; and
● provide a substantive response or progress update within 20 working days.
Straightforward factual errors may be corrected sooner.
Complex matters may take longer, particularly where OYL needs to check overseas registers, translate records, obtain legal advice, contact third parties or wait for an official decision. If additional time is required, OYL will explain the reason where possible and provide a revised target date.
These are service targets rather than guaranteed legal deadlines. Any statutory deadline applying to a data-protection request will continue to apply separately.
11. Initial assessment
OYL will first consider:
● whether the complaint is within the scope of this policy;
● whether enough information has been provided;
● whether the matter requires urgent action;
● whether the information can be checked against an official source;
● whether another person should be invited to respond;
● whether the concern should be directed to a healthcare provider, regulator or other body;
● whether the complaint concerns personal data and engages a separate legal right; and
● whether any temporary change to the content is appropriate while checks are made.
OYL may ask the complainant or the person concerned for clarification or further evidence.
12. Evidence OYL may consider
Depending on the issue, OYL may consider:
● current statutory medical and specialist registers;
● professional-association directories;
● official regulatory notices, decisions and sanctions;
● facility-registration or accreditation records;
● court judgments and other official public records;
● peer-reviewed research and official clinical guidance;
● original documents, correspondence or screenshots;
● information supplied by the surgeon, clinic or complainant;
● archived versions of OYL content; and
● reporting from reputable sources.
OYL will consider the source, authenticity, relevance, date and completeness of the evidence. Screenshots, reviews, media reports or social-media posts may justify further enquiries but will not automatically be treated as proof.
OYL may decline to rely on unlawfully obtained, manipulated or unverifiable material.
13. Urgent and interim action
OYL may take temporary action before completing a review where reasonably necessary to protect users or prevent materially misleading information from remaining available.
Interim action may include:
● correcting an obvious factual error;
● adding a temporary clarification or status notice;
● removing a disputed claim, image or link;
● hiding part of a profile;
● temporarily suspending a profile;
● removing OYL branding permission; or
● preserving relevant records.
Temporary action is precautionary. It does not necessarily mean that OYL has accepted the complaint or made a finding of wrongdoing.
14. Right of response
Where a complaint could materially affect a surgeon’s profile, reputation or OYL membership, OYL will normally explain the substance of the concern and offer a reasonable opportunity to respond.
The response period will depend on the urgency and complexity of the matter. OYL may set a shorter deadline where official information identifies an immediate regulatory or patient-safety concern.
OYL may provide the complainant with relevant parts of a response where this is necessary to resolve the matter and can be done lawfully and fairly.
OYL is not required to disclose confidential information, legally privileged advice, another person’s sensitive information or material that could create a serious risk of harm.
OYL may take action without waiting for a response where:
● an official register shows that registration has expired, been suspended or is subject to a relevant restriction;
● publication must be changed to comply with law or an official direction;
● there is a credible and urgent safety risk;
● the person cannot be contacted after reasonable attempts; or
● delay would leave materially inaccurate or misleading information live.
If appropriate, a response received after action has been taken will still be considered.
15. How OYL reaches a decision
OYL will decide the complaint on the balance of the information reasonably available to it. We will consider:
● factual accuracy and context;
● the quality and reliability of the evidence;
● whether relevant information has materially changed;
● the distinction between allegation, investigation and formal finding;
● the seriousness and potential safety implications;
● fairness to the complainant and the person concerned;
● privacy, confidentiality and data-protection rights;
● whether publication serves a legitimate patient-information or public-interest purpose; and
● what action is proportionate.
OYL does not have to adopt the wording or outcome requested by either party.
16. Possible outcomes
After reviewing a complaint, OYL may:
● uphold it in full or in part;
● reject it;
● correct inaccurate information;
● clarify wording or add context;
● update outdated information;
● distinguish more clearly between fact, allegation, comment and opinion;
● add a correction, update or editor’s note;
● offer or publish an appropriate response;
● remove an image, claim, link or other content;
● temporarily or permanently suspend a profile;
● remove a surgeon from the directory;
● withdraw permission to use OYL membership or ambassador branding;
● refer the matter to another organisation or suggest that the complainant does so;
● defer a final decision while official proceedings remain active; or
● take no action where the evidence does not justify a change.
17. Corrections and update notices
OYL aims to correct material factual inaccuracies promptly and with appropriate prominence.
The form of correction will depend on the nature and significance of the error.
Minor corrections, including spelling, formatting, broken links and routine contact-detail updates, may be made without a separate correction notice.
For a material factual correction, OYL may add a dated note explaining:
● what information was changed;
● why it was changed; and
● the source or basis for the correction.
Where inaccurate material was substantially repeated on OYL’s social-media channels or in another OYL publication, we will consider whether a corresponding correction is reasonably necessary.
A correction does not necessarily require an entire article or profile to be removed if the remaining content is accurate, lawful and appropriately contextualised.
18. Updates to developing stories and regulatory matters
Regulatory investigations, court proceedings and patient-safety issues may develop after publication.
OYL will aim to update material where a significant development changes or materially qualifies the position, including:
● a final regulatory decision;
● a sanction, restriction or suspension;
● an appeal;
● a decision being overturned or withdrawn;
● an acquittal or dismissal;
● a registration or membership being restored; or
● reliable evidence that an earlier report was materially incomplete.
OYL will distinguish between an allegation, an ongoing investigation, an interim measure and a final finding.
The absence of a final finding does not always require removal of accurate reporting about the existence of an investigation, particularly where the information remains relevant and is clearly described.
19. Complaints about patient experiences
OYL may publish or refer to patient experiences where there is a legitimate editorial or patient-information purpose.
An individual account represents that person’s experience and does not establish that every patient will have the same experience or that negligence occurred.
When reviewing a complaint about a patient account, OYL may consider:
● whether the contributor can provide reasonable evidence of the underlying experience;
● whether factual claims are distinguished from personal opinion;
● whether identifying details are necessary and lawful;
● whether the surgeon or clinic has been offered an appropriate opportunity to respond;
● whether the account has been edited or presented misleadingly; and
● whether continued publication is fair, accurate and proportionate.
OYL will not normally act as an intermediary in an ongoing personal dispute about compensation or treatment.
20. Data-protection correction requests
A request to correct inaccurate personal information may engage the legal right to rectification under UK data-protection law.
Where this applies, OYL will handle the request under its Privacy Policy and the applicable statutory process. OYL may take reasonable steps to verify identity and the accuracy of the proposed correction.
The right to rectification does not automatically require OYL to change an honestly held opinion, remove accurate reporting, or replace disputed information where the accuracy of the existing record cannot be established. OYL may record that information is disputed while the matter is assessed.
Questions or complaints specifically concerning OYL’s handling of personal data may also be raised with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
21. Regulatory
If a complaint relates to an active regulatory investigation, police investigation or legal proceeding, OYL may:
● take urgent action required for accuracy or safety;
● publish a carefully qualified update based on official information;
● defer part of its assessment;
● avoid publishing material that could prejudice proceedings;
● seek legal advice; or
● revisit the matter when an official outcome is available.
OYL will not promise to keep information from a regulator, police service, court or other authority where disclosure is lawfully required or reasonably necessary to address a serious risk.
22. Abusive, repetitive or unsupported complaints
OYL will not reject a complaint merely because it is critical, persistent or inconvenient.
However, OYL may restrict or end correspondence where communications are threatening, abusive, discriminatory, harassing or unreasonably repetitive, or where a complaint is knowingly false and malicious.
OYL may also decline to reconsider a matter where:
● it has already been fully reviewed;
● no material new evidence has been provided;
● the requested outcome is outside OYL’s role;
● the complaint is so broad or unclear that it cannot reasonably be investigated after clarification has been requested; or
● continued correspondence would be disproportionate to the substance of the issue.
Where appropriate, OYL will explain that contact is being restricted and identify any route for submitting genuinely new evidence.
23. Requesting a review
If you believe OYL has misunderstood material evidence or failed to follow this policy, you may request one review within 20 working days of the outcome.
Your request should explain:
● the specific part of the decision you dispute;
● any material evidence you believe was overlooked;
● any significant procedural failure; and
● the outcome you seek.
The review will reconsider whether the original decision was reasonable on the available evidence and whether this policy was followed. New evidence may be considered where it could not reasonably have been supplied earlier.
As OYL is operated by a sole trader, an independent internal reviewer may not be available. Where appropriate, OYL may obtain external professional advice, but this policy does not create a right to an independent appeal or require OYL to pay for external adjudication.
The review outcome will normally be final under this policy. This does not remove any legal right or prevent a person from contacting an appropriate regulator or authority.
24. Records and policy monitoring
OYL may keep proportionate records of:
● complaints and correction requests;
● evidence considered;
● correspondence and responses;
● decisions and reasons;
● corrections, suspensions and removals; and
● recurring issues relevant to OYL’s policies or verification standards.
Records will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary and handled in accordance with OYL’s Privacy Policy.
OYL may use anonymised or aggregated complaint information to improve directory criteria, verification procedures, content and patient-safety resources.
25. No retaliation
OYL members must not intimidate, harass, threaten or penalise a person for making a genuine complaint, requesting a correction or lawfully reporting a concern to an appropriate authority.
Evidence of retaliation or attempted suppression of a legitimate concern may itself be considered under the Surgeon Membership Terms.
This protection does not prevent a person from responding proportionately to a knowingly false statement or exercising their lawful rights.
26. Contact OYL
Complaints, correction requests and supporting information should be sent to:
OWN YR LOOK Operated by: Annabelle Baugh, sole trader Email: annabelle@ownyrlook.com Suggested subject line: Complaint or correction request
Please include the relevant OYL page or profile URL and identify the precise information you want OYL to review.