The Guidance Released For The Cosmetic Treatment Providers By HEE And GMC

Recently, the Health Education England has published the reports that aim to improve the standards of cosmetic training available to the cosmetic practitioners who perform various surgical and non-surgical cosmetic treatments like botox, chemical skin peels and laser hair removal treatments.

The report has been commissioned by the Department of Health has set the qualification requirements for the cosmetic practitioners who perform these cosmetic treatments regardless of the aesthetic training which they might have in the past. These requirements are meant to ensure the safety of the patients at the hands of the professionals who perform these cosmetic treatments. They should have proper aesthetic training in the use as well as the application of any cosmetic products and treatments.

The guidance provided in the first phase of the report by the GMC includes the following to which the cosmetic treatment providers have to comply regardless of whether they perform surgical or non-surgical cosmetic treatments. The guidance includes the following;

•    Advertisement and marketing of services: the cosmetic professionals are required to show a responsible behaviour while advertising and marketing their services. They are required to base their advertisements on immaculate facts without using any promotional tactics which compel the patients to make hasty decisions. The doctors should not give any cosmetic treatments as free prizes or give one-to-two offers to attract patients.

•    Time for reflection should be given to the patients: The patients should not be pressured to take certain cosmetic treatment. They should be given ample time to think about the risks and to take the treatment or not.

•    The consent of patient should be taken by doctors: the responsibility of taking consent of the patient should not be delegated to someone else. The doctors should have a detailed discussion with the patient giving them complete information and support which they require and should obtain their consent by themselves.

•    Should provide care continuity: the doctor should ensure that patient whom to contact for their care in case of any complications and that they are provided with complete details about medicines or implants.

•    Providing support to the patient safety:  keeping complete and correct consultation records, utilising a system for identifying and acting on the safety concerns of the patients and making contributions to the programmes for monitoring quality and the results is the responsibility of the doctor.

In the second phase of the project, the detailed requirements for qualification of the cosmetic practitioners for performing non-surgical cosmetic treatments and hair restoration surgery will be released.

The efforts of the HEE has been further encouraged by the announcements of British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) and the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) who have accepted to work in coordination to establish a Joint Council for the regulation of non-surgical cosmetic treatments sector. This has increased the possibilities of establishment of such a body which will be in the greater benefit of the stakeholders including cosmetic treatment providers and patients. To have more information about the HEE report kindly check the given link https://hee.nhs.uk/printpdf/news-events/news/new-qualifications-unveiled-improve-safety-non-surgical-cosmetic-procedures