The Scottish Government have launched a public consultation how best to further regulate non-surgical cosmetic procedures (NSCP) to improve client safety.
Independent healthcare clinics in Scotland are already regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, but the sector across the UK is not fully regulated.
The number of procedures which pierce and penetrate the skin is increasing and the Scottish Government is considering what requirements can be put in place to reduce the potential for harm from riskier procedures.
The new consultation builds on a previous one in 2020 and puts forward more detailed proposals for what that further regulation could look like.
It is propose that private NSCPs should take place in either:
- an independent clinic, or other healthcare setting regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
- a premises which is licensed by the local authority
The Scottish Government propose that wherever procedures take place they should be carried out by a suitably trained and qualified practitioner or by an appropriate healthcare professional.
It is not believed that all procedures are appropriate in all settings. As such it is proposed to divide procedures into three groups based on factors such as how invasive they are, the level of risk and the level of medical knowledge or training required to conduct the procedures safely.
The Groups proposed are:
- Group 1 will contain those procedures which carry the lowest level of risk, are the least invasive, and which we believe can be safely carried out by a trained practitioner who is not a healthcare professional
It is proposed that Group 1 procedures should be undertaken in either a licensed premises or a HIS regulated setting.
- Group 2 will contain procedures which carry a higher level of risk, and are more invasive than those in Group 1.
It is proposed that Group 2 procedures should only be undertaken in a HIS regulated premises. We propose they could be safely carried out by a trained practitioner who is not a healthcare professional, but that such practitioners should be supervised by an appropriate healthcare professional.
- Group 3 will contain the procedures which carry the highest levels of risk and which are more invasive than Group 1 or 2 procedures.
It is proposed that as well as being undertaken in a HIS regulated premises that these procedures should always be undertaken by an appropriate healthcare professional.
Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health Jenni Minto said:
“It is distressing to hear of cases where people have suffered as a result of non-surgical cosmetic procedures going wrong.
“The current gaps in regulation means that anyone can perform most of these procedures without the need for any formal training or qualifications and this consultation aims to gather a wide range of views on how best to address this.
“We want to make sure procedures are carried out by appropriately qualified and skilled practitioners so that clients have peace of mind. We are aware of the potential impact on businesses and we are working with a range of stakeholders to make sure we get those details right.
“Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that robust and proportionate regulation is introduced to ensure that people who choose to have these procedures, can do so with the confidence they will be safe so please let us know your views.”
Chair of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners, Professor David Sines CBE said:
“I warmly welcome the Scottish Government’s decision to consult on this new, proposed scheme of regulation and licensing.
“In my opinion the proposals included in this consultation document will dramatically improve consumer safety and reduce the risk of injury and harm arising from improperly performed cosmetic treatments. Nothing is more important than public protection and patient safety.
“I would urge everybody to support this move towards sensible and proportionate regulation in this important sector.”
Read the consultation paper here Regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures – Scottish Government consultations – Citizen Space which closes 14 February.
