Government to Crack Down on Unsafe Cosmetic Procedures
The Department of Health and Social Care has issued a press release outlining new measures to crack down on cosmetic procedures following a 2023 consultation that received almost 12,000 responses.
Among the proposed measures is that only qualified healthcare professionals will be able to perform the highest risk procedures, such as non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts. These must be done by specialised healthcare workers working in providers that are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
In addition, clinics administering lower-risk cosmetic treatments, including botulinum toxin, lip fillers and facial dermal fillers, will also come under stricter 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 Government also plans to bring in restrictions for under-18s on high-risk cosmetic procedures, unless authorised by a healthcare professional. This means children will also be protected from dangerous beauty trends on social media.
The planned crackdown follows a series of incidents where people have had high-risk treatments from people with little or no medical training, leading to dangerous complications, permanent scarring and even death. These new rules will protect people from unqualified, rogue operators and reduce the cost to the NHS of fixing botched procedures.
The new measures follow growing alarm over unqualified individuals performing invasive treatments in unsafe environments, including homes, hotels, and pop-up clinics.
Many of these procedures are marketed as non-surgical but, in reality, are invasive and carry serious risks.
The regulations will be subject to public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny before they are introduced.
Minister of State for Health Karin Smyth MP said: “The cosmetics industry has been plagued by a Wild West of dodgy practitioners and procedures. There are countless horror stories of cosmetic cowboys causing serious, catastrophic damage.
“This government is taking action to protect those seeking treatments, support honest and competent practitioners, and root out the cowboys as part of our Plan for Change. This isn’t about stopping anyone from getting treatments – it’s about preventing rogue operators from exploiting people at the expense of their safety and keeping people safe. We’re giving them peace of mind and reducing the cost to the NHS of fixing botched procedures.”
“Through our Plan for Change the government is determined to bolster patient safety. These changes will ensure consumers can be confident the treatment they receive is safe and of a high standard. It will also provide business with better protections, enabling reputable and safe providers to be easily identifiable to patients.
“Priority will be given to introducing regulations to restrict the highest risk procedures first – such as fillers injected into breasts and genitals. A public consultation will be published early next year. This will seek views on the range of procedures which should be covered in the new restrictions. “While the measures are being developed, the government urges anyone considering a cosmetic procedure to check their provider’s qualifications and insurance, and to avoid treatments that appear suspiciously cheap.
”Millie Kendall OBE. Chief Executive Officer, British Beauty Council, said, “I fully welcome the Government’s announcement that it is pushing forward with legislation. Any measures that increase protection for the general public and professionalise the industry will help instil confidence as well as helping to prevent the normalisation of horror stories that have become synonymous with our sector.
”Professor David Sines CBE PhD, Executive Chair and Registrar JCCP, said, “The Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners warmly welcomes the UK Government’s decision to introduce legislation to regulate and licence cosmetic procedures according to the risks they present.
“The introduction of standards to ensure that patients are safeguarded and protected from harm, ensuring that all cosmetic practitioners are regulated and licensed to a new national education and training standard, that they are appropriately insured and that they work from safe premises at all times has become imperative. These proposals have our full support and we welcome the opportunity to engage in further consultation.
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”Ashton Collins, Director, Save Face said, “I have seen firsthand the devastating impact these procedures can have on the lives of victims and their families — none more so than the family of Alice Webb. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Government and key stakeholders throughout the next stages of this process to build a safer landscape for the public and promote high standards across the industry.
”Diane Hey, Chief Executive Officer, Armonia Health & Beauty – Chair Beauty Professional Apprenticeship Trailblazer and Beauty industry licensing task and finish group said, “This long-awaited action is a critical step in protecting the public from the dangers of unregulated and unsafe non-surgical cosmetic procedures. For too long, poorly trained individuals completing short courses have been able to carry out high-risk procedures with little accountability. These new measures will help safeguard the public, uphold professional standards, and reinforce the importance of regulated, high-quality education and training within the sector.
”The Government will also work closely with stakeholders to develop further proposals for consultation on introducing the licensing regime for lower-risk procedures to seek views on education, training standards, qualifications, infection control and insurance.
The measures come as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA), local authorities and NHS continue to investigate after a number of people had adverse reactions following cosmetic procedures involving botulinum toxin. This is another reminder for the public to make sure they are receiving products licensed for use in England and only administered by practitioners sufficiently trained.