New proposals to improve safety and standards in the non-surgical
cosmetic procedures sector have been set out as the Scottish
Government publishes its response to a consultation on the
issue.
The proposals, informed by over 2,200 responses and broad
stakeholder engagement, intends to introduce a minimum age of 18
for all procedures and classify treatments into three distinct
groups which will be regulated to reflect the associated risk:
- group 1 procedures – such as microneedling and non-ablative
laser treatments – will require both a premises licence and
individual practitioner licences issued by local authorities
- group 2 procedures - including injectables like Botox® and
dermal fillers - will have to be supervised by a qualified health
care professional in a setting regulated by Healthcare
Improvement Scotland (HIS)
- group 3 procedures – for instance, breast and buttock
augmentation – will have to be performed by a qualified
healthcare professional in an HIS-regulated setting
The Scottish Government will take forward a combination of
primary and secondary legislation to implement the proposals. A
new Bill regulating Group 2 and Group 3 procedures will be
introduced later this year. Secondary legislation under the Civic
Government (Scotland) Act 1982 will establish the licensing
regime for Group 1 procedures.
Public Health Minister said:
“It is deeply upsetting to hear of cases where people have
suffered as a result of non-surgical cosmetic procedures going
wrong.
“The current gaps in regulation mean that anyone can perform most
of these procedures without the need for any formal training or
qualifications. These proposals reflect our determination to
protect the public and ensure high standards across this growing
industry.
“I am particularly heartened by the broad support for action to
make the sector safer, and we will continue to work closely with
Healthcare Improvement Scotland, local authorities, and the wider
industry to support a smooth and effective implementation.”
Background
The latest consultation built on a previous one in 2020 and put
forward more detailed proposals for what that further regulation
could look like. The recent consultation on the licensing and
regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures received over
2,200 responses from individuals, businesses, professional
bodies, and medical experts. There was widespread support for
increased regulation to improve safety and accountability across
the sector.
The full consultation response and analysis are available at:
https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836918271
