ONE of the firms at the centre of the faulty breast implants scandal has gone into administration – but legal claims against the company will continue, say campaigners.

We previously reported how Elizabeth Cathey, aged 25, of St John’s, Worcester, received defective implants from Harley Medical Group, alongside thousands of other women.

The cheaply made implants are more prone to ruptures and ‘bleeds’, with some made with incorrect sillicone – used to fill bed mattresses – and were supplied to surgeons by defunct French firm Poly Implant Prothese (PIP).

About 1,700 woman are now suing the firm’s holdings company Harley Medical Centre, for the stress and worry caused, with another 1,300 taking action against other clinics.

However, HMC was liquidated just days after entering voluntary administration on Friday, November 9. The subsidiary Harley Medical Group and its customers have transferred to a new holdings firm, with the same directors, called Aesthetic and Cosmetic Surgery incorporated in September – but minus all its liabilities for the existing legal claims. That move prompted criticism that the firm is ducking its responsiblities.

Dan Yea, of Maitland Communications representing Harley Medical, said it had “acted in the best interests” of its clients, and was honouring appointments to replace its implants in women who had sustained a rupture.

“The situation with the PIP implants wasn’t of our making.We removed free of charge faulty implants from those patients where there was a medical need. But the impact on our business has meant we would have been unable to continue without restructuring and bringing in new investment.

“The restructuring now allows us to continue to care for our patients who have medical issues arising from PIP implants and to continue our duty of care to the rest of our surgical and non-surgical patients.

But Miss Cathey disagrees, saying the firm is guilty of sharp business practice. Her solicitors say there is still a legal remedy as the surgeons themselves are included in the litigation. Some were found to have been manufactured with silicone usually used for making bed mattresses.

Miss Cathey said: “For Harley to wind up – yet already be running under another name – to avoid taking responsibility for their actions just highlights how unprofessional and disgraceful they are.”