Following a public consultation held in September 2023 regarding the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England, the government has today announced plans to “crack down to protect the public from unsafe procedures”.
The proposed measures aim to significantly improve patient safety and include the following key changes:
-
High-risk treatments such as non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts and genital fillers will only be permitted to be performed by suitably qualified healthcare professionals.
-
Clinics offering fillers and anti-wrinkle injections must meet stringent standards in order to obtain a licence.
-
To safeguard young people from harmful beauty trends popularised on social media, new age restrictions on certain procedures are being proposed.
BABTAC has been a leading voice in shaping the government’s consultation, continuing its long-standing advocacy for improved safety and regulation across the beauty industry. As a not-for-profit membership organisation representing highly trained and skilled professionals, BABTAC is committed to protecting both consumers and practitioners.
In addition to its involvement in the recent consultation, BABTAC played a pivotal role in supporting the Scottish Government’s non-surgical procedures bill. The organisation also recently launched its T.I.M.E. safety campaign at Westminster and the Scottish Parliament, helping consumers make informed decisions in an industry where 62% remain unaware that it is currently unregulated.
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
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.
