Botox and fillers set to be regulated by Government in Scotland
The Scottish government is cracking down on unregulated injectables with a new legislation proposal. Under the new government plans, non-healthcare professionals in the beauty industry may soon have to carry a licence in order to perform injectables such as fillers and botox.
Public health minister Joe FitzPatrick said Scotland would be the first in the UK to introduce the licensing scheme, and a consultation has been initiated for the public to share their views until the end of April.
“We are committed to patient safety and want to ensure that all those who carry out non-surgical procedures, such as dermal fillers or lip enhancements, are competent and that the treatments take place in safe and hygienic premises,” said FitzPatrick.
“We plan to introduce regulations later this year and invite members of the public and interested parties to give their views as part of the consultation on our proposals.”
The licences would be akin to those required in tattoo parlours, where a licence will show that the practitioner has been adequately trained and have both the experience and skills to perform the treatment.
Currently, clinics run by medical professionals who provide non-surgical cosmetic procedures are regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS).
However, there is no regulation on who can practise injectables in locations such as beauty salons, pharmacies, hairdressers and aesthetic clinics.
The news follows the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) proposal to ban therapists training in injectables and the Department of Health’s campaign to tackle poorly administered cosmetic procedures throughout the UK.