Dr Philip Dobson Medical Director of Laser Care Services Ltd kindly sent us a summary of the pertinent points of CQC (Care Quality Commission) legislation changes due in 2010 relating to the Cosmetic Surgery/Non-surgical industry and Beauty Sector that we will feature in next month's industry newsletter.
Philip is a Laser Physician and Skin Surgeon but is also at the sharp end of industry legislation as his company also specialises in providing assistance to hospitals clinics and salons with the process of registration with the Care Quality Commission.
Three points from his summary that grabbed my attention were:
- It is still unclear as to exactly which providers of non-surgical laser and Intense Pulsed Light Services will have to be CQC registered - as they have not finished compiling a list of disorders that would need to be treated in a registered establishment. This could include acne, rosacea, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) etc.
- Possible issues regarding VAT relating to Injectable cosmetic treatments coming to the fore again in 2010
- Cryosurgery, curettage of skin lesions and warts under local anaesthetic and injectable cosmetic treatments (ie Botulinum toxin, dermal fillers) will not be regulated by the CQC.
The legislation looks as though it's going to be increasingly confusing for providers of cosmetic treatments in 2010 and certainly won't help to provide a simple consistent message for consumers seeking to choose between providers, especially with the imminent launch of the new self-regulation scheme for injectable cosmetic treatments.
We will do our utmost within Consulting Room directory to try and simplify the process of finding the right clinic and to educate consumers regarding legislation and self-regulation and what that may mean even then, this is only a simple guidance regarding the potential adherence of a private cosmetic business to standards of best practice and does not guarantee a good cosmetic outcome. In our experience, a consumer's best route is to first short-list clinics that adhere to relevant legislation and then compare several different providers in order to
find a clinic/practitioner that they feel comfortable with.
