The Private Independent Aesthetic Practices Association (PIAPA) has been a part of my life for 15 years now, from the very first time a small group of nurses met in South Yorkshire armed with cups of tea and coffee ready to discuss aesthetic practice. Back then I remember still feeling bewildered, estranged and under a lot of pressure to support a young family after leaving a managerial role in the NHS to enter into aesthetics. Those emotions were equally matched by ones of passion, drive and a thirst for learning. I was so lucky to meet some fellow nurses who, just like me, were looking for greater recognition for our role in aesthetics. We looked to establish the best practice we were accustomed to in our previous healthcare settings by seeking out education, arranging clinical supervision, creating protocols, sharing resources and generally encouraging each other.
The Journal of Aesthetic Nursing has been a part of my long journey and today I publish my resignation as Chair of PIAPA. I do this with some sadness but mostly great pride of an association which has grown in number and spirit over the years. The association started when the number of nurses in aesthetics was just a fraction of what it is today, and accessing the same educational opportunities as doctors and surgeons was not easily achieved—particularly in the north of the UK. Since then, we have grown in number and nature as we expanded to allow membership to other medical professionals, and I am honoured to have led a group of practitioners who above all have shown integrity, heart and professionalism in a difficult and conflicted area of medicine.
It is for several reasons that I feel this is the right time to step back, the first being that my roles within the aesthetics sector have diversified and multiplied to include nurse, trainer, consultant and lecturer. I am honoured to have been selected for my expertise by bodies such as Health Education England, the JCCP and Bangor University, but with these positions the degree of impartiality that has been expected of me as PIAPA chairperson in the past is becoming more and more difficult. I will always work towards the greater good in aesthetics and as part of that I feel it is important to present my candid and informed assessments and recommendations.
Another reason is for some time I have felt strongly that, like many fields of practice, there is an old guard within aesthetics, and it is essential that my generation of practitioners understand when not just to pave the way, but also when to open the doors and allow fresh eyes and progressive minds to take the reins. I do intend to continue to serve this specialist profession and offer my experience and consultation for as long as it is deemed valuable, and hope that I can remain part of the group.
I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the handful of nurses who founded PIAPA with me, the members who stick by us and each other, the staff and representatives who have supported us and the peers and colleagues who have provided us with invaluable knowledge and education. I will continue to lead in the interim while we will be looking for a suitable replacement as Chair, but I understand that this may not be a simple process. I have confidence that all services will continue as normal, as our reliable in-house staff and representatives continue to provide the support they always have done.
Having first made the announcement to our members, it was immensely moving reading so many kind responses and even more humbling to see that we have created exactly what we aimed for. PIAPA has succeeded in creating a welcome learning environment, one where people feel supported and not judged. One member summed this up precisely, commenting on the warm and sincere welcome she was given when she entered her first PIAPA meeting 8 years ago. I will greatly miss my role, but I hope to see all our members prosper as aesthetic practitioners and continue to support each other with the compassionate and encouraging characteristics that have become synonymous with the group.
My parting note as Chair to all aesthetic practitioners of a similar era to me is set the example; please do not pull up the ladder once you have made it to the top. We fought so hard to gain support from product companies and educators, and we have a duty to share this knowledge with our peers. We must continue to instil best practice and provide guidance, especially in a time when we are still constantly having to prove ourselves as a specialist profession.