1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,480 I just want to make sure that I try and look as different 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:06,720 as I possibly can. I'm on high alert for this one. 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,640 It's difficult to know whether someone has clocked 4 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:11,440 that you're undercover or not. 5 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:15,200 People could well get spooked by the fact that I'm asking questions, 6 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,640 but if you don't ask them, you might not get the information you need. 7 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,400 I'm inside this woman's house, if something goes wrong, 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:23,200 if she does realise I'm a journalist, 9 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,160 it's just me that's left to deal with it. 10 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:32,720 I'm Ellie Flynn, I'm 24 and I'm an investigative journalist. 11 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,520 I've gone undercover to expose the struck-off doctor... 12 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,680 ..who is providing botox for young people nationwide. 13 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:45,640 And fake medics... 14 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,160 ..who are breaking the strict rules around prescription drugs... 15 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:54,680 ..and making a tidy profit in the process. 16 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,640 I mean, there is something very, very dodgy going on here. 17 00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:13,280 Plastic surgeons report a dramatic increase in people under 30 18 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,200 getting procedures like botulinum toxin injections, 19 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,400 commonly known as botox - 20 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,000 and campaigners warn of a national bill of as much as £1 million a year 21 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,080 for corrective surgery, as a result of these injections. 22 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:27,880 I'm investigating whether the strict regulations 23 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:30,760 around the use of this potent drug are being followed, 24 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,600 as sources tell me that, in many cases, they aren't - 25 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,640 which could be putting thousands of patients at risk. 26 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:37,960 If you want botox, 27 00:01:37,960 --> 00:01:40,880 you should ideally go to a trained medical professional. 28 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,520 They will assess whether it's suitable for you, 29 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,440 tell you the risks, and can write you a prescription, 30 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:48,200 before giving you the treatment. 31 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,600 You can go to a beautician for the injection, 32 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:52,880 but it's illegal for a beautician to supply botox 33 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:54,560 that hasn't been prescribed for you, 34 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,480 so you also need to see a doctor, dentist, 35 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,880 prescribing nurse or prescribing pharmacist for your consultation 36 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:02,960 and prescription first. This must be done face-to-face. 37 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,720 If you're prescribed botox without a face-to-face medical consultation, 38 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,560 it's against strict General Medical Council guidance. 39 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,040 Despite this, I've heard it's happening 40 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,440 at thousands of appointments across the UK. 41 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,160 I'm told beauticians regularly offer botox 42 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,760 which hasn't been properly prescribed - but I need proof, 43 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,800 so I've booked some appointments, using the fake name Lucy. 44 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:29,400 I'm going to go undercover 45 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,000 because I think if I go in and say I'm a journalist, 46 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,640 they might follow procedure, 47 00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:36,960 whereas if I go in as a member of the public with hidden cameras, 48 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:38,600 I'll see exactly what happens 49 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,160 when people do go to these appointments normally. 50 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:58,480 I want to check whether they're qualified medics. 51 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:07,120 I checked and she isn't a licensed nurse, 52 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:08,880 so I should first see a qualified medic 53 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:10,520 to get the required prescription. 54 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:29,240 Needles come out quickly, so I fake a sudden needle phobia. 55 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,200 Both those beauticians were about to give me botox 56 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,200 without a proper consultation with a prescriber - 57 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,400 and one of them told me that she's a registered nurse. 58 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,080 I looked her up on the register, and she's not on it. 59 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,720 Posing as a registered medical professional is a criminal offence - 60 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,760 and our evidence shows that's exactly what she was doing. 61 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,200 They told me there were no risks, no side effects, 62 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:08,080 and they made it seem like a very casual thing that everyone's doing. 63 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,000 To see if it really is what everyone's doing, 64 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,200 I'm on my way to a botox party in Windsor, 65 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,600 where a legitimate prescriber is present. 66 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,360 Hi! Dr Sherpao. Hi, Dr Sherpao. 67 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:29,320 So, how are you all feeling? Good. Great. 68 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:33,920 The champagne may be non-alcoholic, 69 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,320 but there's still a party atmosphere. 70 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:39,960 How old are you guys? I'm 23. 71 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,120 23. 27. 27. 72 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,000 21. 21. Yeah. 73 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,160 You're not having any botox, are you? I'm not, no. 74 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:47,800 Are you tempted? 75 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,120 Um, a little bit. See what all the fuss is about. 76 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:51,680 When was the first time you had it? 77 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:53,880 Was that four months ago? No, when I was like 18. 78 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,400 No way. Yeah. I've had it for, like, five years, now. 79 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,440 And do you think that people see it as convenient as they would 80 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,120 getting their nails or their eyelashes done? Yeah. 81 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,320 People want their nails done, their hair done, 82 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,360 their eyelashes done, their lips done, botox, 83 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,080 all part of that whole, you know, confidence boost. 84 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:13,800 So, in total, how many people do you think you know who have botox? 85 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:18,240 Over a hundred. Over a hundred?! Yeah, everybody has it. 86 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:20,680 I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't any more. 87 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,400 If botox has become such a basic beauty essential, 88 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,200 how bad can the risks of not doing it properly really be? 89 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,360 RADIO: Clyde One... News! 90 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,640 First this morning, Clyde News can reveal legal action has begun 91 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:48,520 against botox clinics who are avoiding industry regulation. 92 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,640 It comes six months after... 93 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,560 I've come to meet Marie, who this year was given botox 94 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:56,160 without first seeing a medical professional. 95 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,600 Hi. Marie? I'm Ellie. How are you? Good. How are you? 96 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,640 I'm good. 97 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:05,920 So, what exactly happened to you? 98 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,960 So, basically, I thought I was looking a bit old and haggard, 99 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,040 so I went and I started looking into getting myself some botox, 100 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,880 and there was a really good deal online, so I went, 101 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:18,160 and my face looked like I had a stroke. 102 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:22,280 Like, this eyelid was going up and this one was going down. 103 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:24,680 I couldn't pronounce Ps, Bs... 104 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,520 Anything that you had to put your lips together. 105 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,520 Every time I took a drink out of a cup, 106 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:31,800 it was just pouring out of the side of my mouth. 107 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,040 So, what did you have to do? I had to live like that. 108 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:39,600 When you went to get botox, did you know that there were any risks? 109 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,480 I think people are so secretive about getting botox... Yeah. 110 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,560 Like, you don't open a magazine and see botox gone wrong all the time. 111 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,200 Yeah. So, you can actually go blind from bad botox. 112 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,200 She didn't ask me for any allergies. 113 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,080 You could go into shock, just like a peanut allergy. 114 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:57,120 Everything could swell up and it could be life threatening. 115 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,600 So, if you'd met a doctor or a nurse prescriber beforehand 116 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,320 and they'd given you a face-to-face consultation 117 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,000 and spoken about all the risks, 118 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,040 do you think you'd have felt better about what happened? 119 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,840 I think not explaining it to you takes your choice away, 120 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,160 so somebody who doesn't know the risks at all, 121 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:16,920 that maybe never had botox before, 122 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,160 going in and doing it and feeling like that, 123 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,040 I think you do feel totally violated. 124 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,480 Knowing how real the risks are, 125 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,480 I start to wonder who on earth would provide these beauticians 126 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:33,280 with botox prescriptions without seeing the patient. 127 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,520 There's doctors, dentists, nurse prescribers 128 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,560 who are knowingly signing prescriptions 129 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,320 for people to have this drug, 130 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,400 but not having these face-to-face consultations, 131 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:45,880 which are so important. 132 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:47,560 We've got all of this evidence 133 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,680 of beauticians who seem to be using a remote prescriber, 134 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:52,520 but we haven't got any closer yet 135 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:54,760 to finding who that remote prescriber is. 136 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,200 Campaigners Save Face and Treatments You Can Trust 137 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:01,720 tell me lots of beauticians 138 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,760 might be unwittingly using rogue remote prescribers. 139 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,320 A number were in the North West, 140 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:07,560 so I'm going undercover again 141 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:09,240 to see if I can get some concrete evidence 142 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:11,280 about the medics behind these prescriptions... 143 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:16,400 ..but it looks like some beauticians aren't following the rules either. 144 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,640 Needles come out very quickly and I have to make my excuses 145 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,080 because she hasn't taken any of my medical details 146 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:27,280 before the appointment, 147 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,360 meaning the botox she's said she'll inject me with 148 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,640 hasn't been prescribed for me. That's against the law. 149 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,680 Because she also told me she's a nurse, 150 00:08:39,680 --> 00:08:41,760 I double check the register to make sure. 151 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,800 On my way to another appointment, I'm definitely feeling uneasy. 152 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,960 Again, I've had no consultation and no prescription for botox, 153 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:14,960 so I want to know where it's coming from. 154 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,240 I'm keen to get away from the area as quickly as possible. 155 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,800 PHONE VIBRATES 156 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:52,840 A few of the beauticians we went to see, some of them have got spooked, 157 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:57,240 and we were concerned that they might be in contact. 158 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,120 Cos I've had a text, saying, 159 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,600 "Hello, so you are going around to all practitioners, 160 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:06,600 "asking for botox and to see if they will do it without prescription. 161 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,360 "Well, I'm afraid you won't get any botox from any of us 162 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,720 "without a face-to-face consultation with one of our prescribers. 163 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:14,840 "It would be unethical to treat someone 164 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,720 "without them having a consultation with a prescriber 165 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:19,640 "to discuss their medical history." 166 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,880 I've also got a voicemail from this same number. 167 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:24,400 Let me just play that. 168 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,040 "Ring me back. Thank you." 169 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,640 A quick internet search confirms that this is the phone number 170 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:33,600 of a beauty academy. 171 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:36,080 OK, so, Skin Base Aesthetics. 172 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,120 It's a training academy in the heart of Manchester. 173 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:44,040 They do a botox course. Foundation botox for beauticians. 174 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:48,240 From what I can see, 175 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:53,480 all those women I went to visit trained at this Skin Base Academy. 176 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,680 I've gone through their website and old social media posts, 177 00:11:56,680 --> 00:12:01,400 and in 2015, Skin Base has shown a kind of CV of a Dr Shreedhar Vaidya. 178 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:03,520 They're calling him Shree. 179 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:07,880 So, I've found a Shreedhar Vaidya - it looks like he was struck off. 180 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,680 He was struck off in 2008 - and if you've been struck off, 181 00:12:11,680 --> 00:12:14,560 you have to be clear about your GMC status. 182 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:16,160 You know, it says here, 183 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,560 "Our doctor teachers have more than 30 years' experience." 184 00:12:19,560 --> 00:12:22,200 You'd assume from this he's a registered medical doctor, 185 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:23,400 when he's not. 186 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:27,520 I wonder if these beauticians know that this doctor isn't registered. 187 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:28,920 They could be being fooled 188 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,720 as much as anyone who's going to get the treatment is. 189 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:35,160 I wonder if Shreedhar Vaidya is the source of the prescriptions - 190 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,520 because I got a text from a beautician 191 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,080 who said I had to speak to a doctor first. 192 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,520 She also trained at Skin Base Academy. 193 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:50,800 So, it looks like she was trained by this doctor, Shreedhar Vaidya, 194 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,520 who's not actually a doctor, and has been struck off. 195 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,080 This is ringing some alarm bells for me. 196 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,480 I text this beautician and make an appointment, 197 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:00,760 using the fake name Sophie King. 198 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,800 She tells me again that I need to speak to a doctor first... 199 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,320 ..and confirms my phone number. 200 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,640 A couple of days before my appointment, I have a missed call. 201 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:14,240 I've looked up that phone number and it's Dr Shreedhar Vaidya, 202 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:17,480 the other struck-off doctor who teaches at Skin Base. 203 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:20,320 Why would he call me before my botox appointment? 204 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,600 MOBILE RINGS 205 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:24,840 Hi. 206 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:34,160 OK. 207 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:48,520 OK. 208 00:13:57,360 --> 00:13:59,040 Perfect. 209 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:00,200 Thanks, bye. 210 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:03,480 That phone call was ridiculous. 211 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:07,000 The doctor did not ask me if I'm breast feeding, 212 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,480 if I'm pregnant, anything about my medical history, 213 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,600 he didn't tell me what the risks were - 214 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:13,080 and he didn't even see my face, 215 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,240 so he has no idea if this is a suitable treatment for me or not. 216 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:19,440 Why would he call me, 217 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:20,960 if there's going to be someone 218 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,640 who is still able to properly prescribe botox for me 219 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:24,720 at the appointment? 220 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:32,440 I head to Nottingham for the appointment 221 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,640 to prove that the man who called, posing as a medical doctor, 222 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:38,320 has actually arranged for my botox to be provided. 223 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,280 She's a beautician who is connected to the group 224 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,960 that I was meant to go and see in Manchester. 225 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,200 They might have put out a sort of warning to anyone 226 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,120 who went to that academy that there's someone sniffing round. 227 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:51,680 The other appointments I went to, 228 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:53,400 I left because I said I was too nervous 229 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:55,120 to go through with getting the botox. 230 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:58,040 Whereas today, I'm pretending I'm three months pregnant. 231 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,360 So I'm going to try and make myself look quite different 232 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:02,000 to when I went to those appointments. 233 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,280 I've got a long brown ponytail, which I'm going to put in. 234 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,960 I haven't actually tried it yet, so it might look crap, 235 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,120 I might have to think of some sort of alternative solution. 236 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,640 I'm just actually going to double check 237 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,840 what my correspondence has been with this beautician, 238 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:19,680 because a lot of these beauticians are connected, 239 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,760 I don't want to be contacting them all off the same phone. 240 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,600 So I've had to get loads of different phones and SIM cards, 241 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:29,000 so that I can contact all of these people from different numbers, 242 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,720 so my phones are multiplying in the night. 243 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,680 I think this is the one for the woman I'm seeing today. 244 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,000 So, I'm booked in for 1pm. 245 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:04,560 Good to go. 246 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,120 I'm trying to remember all of the fake personal details 247 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:15,240 that I've made up. 248 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:18,520 When you go, sometimes the beauticians might ask you questions 249 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,360 about where you live and what you're doing in the area. 250 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:31,200 I've forgotten that number. 07398 346453. 251 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:34,840 07398 34... 252 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:36,840 07398 34... 253 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:42,440 I'm just looking up a hospital, 254 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,120 to see where I might have gone for a pregnancy scan, 255 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,200 in case she asks me. 256 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:48,320 OK. 257 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:50,400 That's recording. 258 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:52,320 Quick. 259 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,760 So, she was definitely about to give me the botox. 260 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:56,320 There was no doctor there. 261 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:58,960 This guy, who's not even a registered doctor, 262 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,160 he's pretending to be, which is breaking a rule in itself, 263 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,360 is somehow providing a prescription-only medicine 264 00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:08,360 over the phone, which you're also not allowed to do, 265 00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:10,880 and he must be putting so many people at risk 266 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,080 with that half-arsed consultation. 267 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,920 I've discovered that this struck-off Dr Shree 268 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:23,360 is also the director of a clinic called A Plus Aesthetics in Essex. 269 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,640 I need to find out whether my experience was a one-off, 270 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:31,680 or if he's organising botox for patients up and down the country. 271 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,680 Keen to keep my cover, I send in another member of the team. 272 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,360 Hi. Yes, at 4:30. 273 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:02,240 Botox, yeah. 274 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:11,360 Hello? 275 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:14,280 Oh, hi. 276 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,160 It's the same doctor on the phone, 277 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:19,320 and the so-called consultation is as minimal as last time. 278 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:21,520 He doesn't ask a single relevant question. 279 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:24,600 Thanks. 280 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:02,320 Really? Yeah. 281 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:21,080 I feel like I'm starting to understand 282 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:22,760 just how much money could be made 283 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:26,280 by the people willing to flout the guidelines and endanger patients. 284 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:30,880 The only way of getting the truth is to speak to the man himself, 285 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,960 which is tricky, as he doesn't have a clinic I can visit... 286 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:37,440 ..but I discovered that he rents out a room in his home to paying guests. 287 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,520 It's a risk, but I book myself in. 288 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:51,920 I'm going to say that I'm up in the area for the night 289 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:53,200 for a family party, 290 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,160 but I'm going to tell him that I am a beautician 291 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:58,640 and see if he mentions botox himself. 292 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:02,840 I just want to find out more about this operation. 293 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,440 I want to find out how much money he's making, 294 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:09,080 how he's getting the botox, how many beauticians he's doing it for - 295 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:12,080 and it can't be Dr Shree behind every single prescription, 296 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,320 so maybe he's got colleagues or connections 297 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:16,080 who are doing the same thing he is. 298 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:21,320 I don't really know. We don't even know if he's going to be in. 299 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,480 Might be someone else who lets us in. 300 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,960 This could be a complete waste of time! 301 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:30,320 Hi. Hello. 302 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:31,880 Thank you. 303 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:37,640 I've been waiting for two hours and there's no sign of him... 304 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:40,600 YAWNS Oh, my God! 305 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:42,440 ..but then I hear a noise downstairs. 306 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:50,800 I go down to ask for a glass of water. 307 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:53,840 Hiya. Hi. 308 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,080 It seems like he's offering me training, like all the other 309 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:22,600 beauticians who may have been duped into thinking he's a real doctor. 310 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:36,720 So, Shree is admitting arranging repeat prescriptions for botox 311 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:38,600 that are then being used on patients 312 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,360 that neither he nor those writing the prescriptions 313 00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:42,560 have even heard of - 314 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:44,320 and he says they don't want to know. 315 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:48,840 No way. 316 00:23:57,120 --> 00:24:00,160 Shree's accounts for one month showed hundreds of pounds 317 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,600 next to each entry on a long list of beauticians. 318 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:42,880 So, this is how a struck-off doctor 319 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,920 is facilitating prescription drugs being sent to beauticians 320 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:47,240 against strict GMC rules. 321 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:49,400 He has a group of prescribers he works with. 322 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:07,320 Shree is explicit about avoiding the clear-cut GMC guidance 323 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,400 around face-to-face consultations. 324 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,280 We left, and made our way back to our hotel. 325 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,720 I actually can't believe that conversation. 326 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:38,000 When I went in to do this undercover work today, 327 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,920 I wasn't sure what to expect - and there was part of me 328 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,400 that was like, "OK, the most outrageous thing 329 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:47,240 "that you might get from this 330 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:51,400 "is he'll tell you exactly how much money he's making, 331 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,280 "how it works, and he'll be really blase about it," 332 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,680 and I was like, that's probably not going to be the truth. 333 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,280 There must be, you know... 334 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,200 He's not going to be that up front about it - 335 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:08,400 and there he was, just, you know, outright telling me 336 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:12,280 how much money he made, he showed me his accounts, how he does it, 337 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:16,400 and what a great idea it is for anyone who wants to flout the rules, 338 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,240 and he openly spoke about the rules. 339 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,200 He mentioned the fact that you need a face-to-face consultation, 340 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,280 but was like, "No, I don't think you do." 341 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,080 So, I wrote to Dr Shree to tell him that we'd filmed him 342 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:41,920 making all of these admissions 343 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,600 and he has completely denied any wrongdoing. 344 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:48,080 He has repeatedly declined our invitation for an interview, 345 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:52,040 he's demanded to see our footage, and he's criticised our methods, 346 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:55,560 and he's insisting that he's completely entitled 347 00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:57,360 to call himself Dr Shree. 348 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,040 While rare, botox does carry risks. 349 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,600 If it's not being properly prescribed to you, 350 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:05,240 you might be in pain for days. 351 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,120 You might end up suffering a severe allergic reaction. 352 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:10,320 You could have trouble eating and drinking - 353 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:12,480 or you might just not be psychologically fit 354 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:13,960 to have a treatment like this. 355 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,760 Unless the law clamps down on people like Shree and others, 356 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:18,680 then I think it's just going to continue, 357 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:20,600 because it's an easy moneymaking scheme 358 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,680 for dodgy medics and for people in the cosmetics industry 359 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,560 who don't really care about their patients' safety.