Following September 2023’s consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, the government has today announced a “crack down to protect the public from unsafe procedures”.
The government’s proposal intends to introduce changes that will enhance patient safety, such as:
- Only suitably qualified healthcare professionals will be able to deliver high-risk procedures such as non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts and genital filler.
- Clinics administering fillers and anti-wrinkle injections will need to meet strict standards to obtain a licence.
- Children are to be protected from dangerous beauty trends on social media through plans for new age restrictions on treatments.
Please see below comments from the following key opinion leaders:
- Lesley Blair MBE, CEO and Chair of The British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC)
- Caroline Hirons, industry expert, BABTAC board member and founder of Skin Rocks and Beauty Backed Trust
One of the key industry bodies to feed into the government consultation is BABTAC who campaign tirelessly for safety and regulation, for the benefit of both consumers and professionals, as part of their work as a not-for-profit members organisation for highly qualified and skilled beauty professionals. As well as contributing to this consultation, BABTAC was also instrumental in the Scottish government’s recent non-surgical procedures bill, and recently launched their own T.I.M.E safety campaign at Westminster and Holyrood Parliament to help consumers navigate the industry after it was revealed that 62% of consumers were unaware the industry isn’t regulated*.
Lesley Blair MBE, CEO and Chair of The British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC) & CIBTAC comments “We wholeheartedly welcome any legislation that aims to protect the safety of both the clients and reputable professionals within our industry and are hugely grateful to have contributed towards this crucial consultation.
We believe that this decision will not only help to bring the clarity, protection and regulation that we have been campaigning for, for many years, but will reassure consumers navigating our industry. In recent years, the lack of regulation has meant that consumers have been exposed to unnecessary risk and danger when booking procedures of this nature, and we hope that what follows in legislation will help to mitigate those risks.”
Lesley continues, “The beauty industry continues to show great innovation with consumers more savvy now than ever before, so bringing in much-needed regulation is absolutely the pivotal next step to ensuring that treatments are able to be enjoyed safely, in the right hands and environment.”
Caroline Hirons, industry expert, BABTAC board member and founder of Skin Rocks and Beauty Backed Trust adds: “It’s encouraging to see government moving a step closer towards their proposed licensing scheme with their ruling on tighter regulation on Brazilian Butt Lifts. I also wholeheartedly agree with the recommendations that injectables such as Botulinum Toxins (Botox) and Dermal fillers should be administered in a clinical environment with stricter licensing and legal accountability. That said I am a passionate advocate for our highly qualified and incredibly skilled beauty professionals.
We deserve a level playing field for those advanced treatments that a suitably qualified and professional beauty therapist is equally if not, in some cases, arguably more skilled to perform. I therefore welcome their proposal to have further consultations and collaboration with relevant industry experts on those procedures. Getting the balance right is critical, but appropriate regulation can achieve that.”
What does the proposed action by the government include, and why?
The planned crackdown follows a series of incidents where high-risk treatments have been administered by those with little or no medical training, due to the existing lack of regulation. These new rules are designed to protect people from unqualified, ‘rogue operators’ and reduce the impact on the NHS of fixing botched procedures.
High-risk procedures, such as non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts known for their potentially fatal risk, will come under tighter regulation. Only qualified healthcare professionals that are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will be able to perform this high-risk treatment.
Treatments deemed ‘lower risk’ including facial dermal fillers and botulinum toxins (Botox) will come under strict oversight through a new local authority licensing system. Practitioners will be required to meet rigorous safety, training and insurance standards before they can legally operate. Once regulations are introduced, practitioners who break the rules on the highest risk procedures will be subject to CQC enforcement and financial penalties.
The new regulations will be subject to public consultation before their introduction, and the government has shared plans to work closely with stakeholders to develop further proposals for consultation on introducing the licensing regime for lower-risk procedures and to seek views on education, training standards, qualifications, infection control and insurance.
Click here to see the full Government Press Release