The Department of Health and Social Care published its awaited response to the 2022 Select Committee Report on the Impact of Body Image on Mental and Physical Health.

 

In the report, the Government also re-confirmed its commitment to developing a new license for non-surgical practice in England and said it will set new mandatory standards for aesthetic practice, education and training as part of a NEW licensing scheme in England by JULY 2023 - although these will not come into force immediately. 

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What happened before this?

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At the end of January, the Government confirmed its commitment to the licensing of the non-surgical aesthetics sector in England in a letter to the JCCP, British Beauty Council, and the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health (CIEH)

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After submitting a joint letter to the Department of Health and Social Care, the industry bodies received a response outlining how the department is designing and implementing a new system of licensing for the industry.

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The minister responsible for taking forward this issue, Maria Caulfield, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health and Women's Health Strategy, told the associations that "departmental officials will work as quickly as possible to introduce the licensing scheme and will consider all the important areas".

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She also affirmed the development of future licensing to suit the ever-developing industry, saying: " We know this is a fast-moving sector, and officials will consider how best to future-proof the regulations so that new and emerging treatments are captured by the scheme."

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When will aesthetic treatment licenses come into force?

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The timetable is not finalised but the Government has now committed to publishing an outline of the licence guidance by July 2023. In their correspondence with Government, the JCCP, British Beauty Council and CIEH set out key priorities for the Government to action:

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1. The design and implementation of a national licensing scheme for all premises where licenced procedures are conducted as well as practitioners of non-surgical cosmetic procedures to ensure that all those who practise invasive procedures are competent and safe for members of the public (as proposed in Paragraph/Clause 180 of the Health and Care Act 2022).

2. A requirement for all practitioners to hold adequate medical insurance in order to provide non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

3. The development of official guidance on the training and qualification expectations for all practitioners, including knowledge and application of infection controls and first aid training.

4. The development of a system for the effective recording of adverse incidents and public awareness raising to ensure that all cases that go wrong can be tracked and improvements to safety made as a result. Members of the public need better tools and knowledge in order to protect themselves.

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What had happened with aesthetic licensing prior to this?

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In September 2022, it was revealed that the consultation regarding licences for non-surgical cosmetic procedures was expected to begin at the start of 2023, with a further consultation on licences for premises later in the year.

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The new licensing scheme, which is part of a bill that received royal ascent in May, will be introduced in updates to the Health and Care Act 2022.

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The scope and details of the proposed new licensing scheme will be determined by Ministers following a period of engagement and public consultation.

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The Joint Council for Cosmetic Procedures (JCCP) said in a statement on September 29th 2022 that "the consultation on which procedures are to be covered by the new licensing scheme is likely to begin in the early New Year". The JCCP added that "it is anticipated that a further consultation will then follow on the licensing of premises later in 2023".

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The JCCP is working with partner organisations including the Cosmetic Practice Standards Authority (CPSA), the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) and the British Beauty Council to support the design and promotion of new fair and equitable licensing schemes.

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According to the JCCP's September update, the new licensing scheme is likely to include high-street cosmetic treatments which can cause serious harm when not carried out correctly or in a safe environment. "The scheme must at least cover injectable toxins, dermal fillers, vitamin infusions, platelet-rich plasma replacement therapy, cogs and threads, cryolipolysis, sclerotherapy, invasive chemical peels, a range of laser and light procedures and hair restoration surgery," the update continued.