The Government's consultation on ‘the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England’

The long awaited Government consultation was published on the 2nd September, 2023. The JCCP has worked closely with the DHSC, Professional Statutory Healthcare Regulators, the MHRA, the CQC and the Advertising Standards Authority and with a range of other system regulators within the United Kingdom with one aim – to promote patient safety and to enhance public protection. At the heart of the JCCP's mandate has been a persistent a call to introduce statutory regulation for the cosmetic sector, whilst reducing the burden of multiple inspections for registered healthcare practitioners and their clinics.

The JCCP published a Ten-Point Plan in April, 2021 with the aim of informing a new system of regulation for the aesthetics sector. One of the ten points relates directly to options for a potential licensing system. The JCCP has advised that the more ‘invasive’ aesthetics treatments at levels 6 and 7 that are specified in the JCCP/CPSA Competency Framework should be regarded as being subjected to a rigorous system of either CQC regulation or licensing and oversight due to the level of risk and harm that can potentially occur if botulinum toxin injectables, dermal fillers, plasma replacement therapy, surgical threads/cogs, invasive (e.g., ablative) lasers, vitamin infusions and deep chemical peels etc. are administered. The JCCP believes that only appropriately trained, registered and regulated healthcare professionals should be involved in the administration of Level 6 and 7 treatments as defined in the JCCP/CPSA Competency Framework.