An amendment to the Health and Care Bill from the 1st of March 2022 will give the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care the power to introduce a licensing regime for botulinum toxin and fillers, the scope and details of which will be determined via extensive engagement including a public consultation.
Cosmetic interventions are a thriving business in the United Kingdom, with a market value of £2.3 billion in 2010 and a forecast of £3.6 billion by 2015. They can be surgical (for example, facelifts, stomach tucks, and breast implants) or non-surgical (for example, Botox). Botox®, dermal fillers, or the use of a laser or strong pulsed light are all options (IPL). These are the ones that account for 9 out of 10 treatments performed, and 75% of the market value.
Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said,
"While most of those in the aesthetics industry follow good practice when it comes to patient safety, far too many people have been left emotionally and physically scarred after botched cosmetic procedures.”
“I am committed to protecting patient safety by making it an offence for someone to perform these cosmetic procedures without a license.”
“We're doing all we can to protect patients from potential harm, but I urge anyone considering a cosmetic procedure to take the time to think about the impact on both their physical and mental health and ensure they are using a reputable, safe and qualified practitioner."
Founder of Medical Aesthetics, Nurse Nadine said:
I'm overjoyed to hear the news. Introducing a licence for aesthetics practitioners and injectable treatments is an excellent method to improve the Cosmetic industry.
Dermal fillers are particularly concerning since anyone can set oneself up as a practitioner without any prior experience, training, or education. I was surprised to see these non-surgical procedures which can have severe and irreversible negative health and wellbeing consequences, are nearly completely unregulated.
Only licenced and regulated medical experts, such as doctors and nurses, should administer cosmetic injectables, in my opinion. Even then, only individuals with the required level of professional training, including anatomical knowledge and a full understanding of preventing and managing difficulties, should be allowed to perform the procedure.
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