Government pledges to support beauty therapists in aesthetics

The Government has pledged to work with beauty industry representatives to move towards the development of accredited pathways for therapists in aesthetics. 

Caroline Larissey, director of quality and standards at the National Beauty Federation (NBF), met with representatives from the Department of Health and Social Care on March 7 to gain support for the development of pathways of accredited qualifications to demonstrate competence.

Larissey, who is also a trustee of the Joint Council of Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) and chairwoman of JCCP-affiliated Beauty Aesthetic Special Interest Committee (BASIC), put forward the difficulties faced by the beauty industry in the face of standards and codes of practice set by the JCCP in tandem with the Cosmetic Practice Standards Authority (CPSA). 

She set out BASIC’s overarching concerns as follows:

• Barriers to progression from a vocational route for injectables and fillers. Vocational progression requires skills and knowledge building and the CPSA/JCCP framework does not account for this
• Injectables and fillers are at levels 6 and 7. Level 6 is not recognised by the JCCP but is recognised by the beauty sector. 

Vocational progression pathways 

While Habia finalises its review of the Level 4 and 5 National Occupational Standards for Beauty Aesthetics – the standards BASIC wants vocational progression pathways for therapists to be mapped against – the Department of Health and Social Care representatives expressed an interest to work with BASIC and the beauty sector as a whole, with the ultimate aim of developing and implementing a simple system of self-regulation, licensing and accreditation that promotes and increases public safety. 

Larissey said, “The Government at the moment seems to have little appetite for regulation and is very much in favour of self-regulation.” The need to involve and listen to beauty and non-medical practitioners was also discussed, “as engagement to date has been predominately medically biased,” she added. 

“The beauty industry has tirelessly supported the work of the JCCP, providing technical advice, support and guidance. Unfortunately, our voices have been in the minority on each and every JCCP/CPSA lead forum, meeting and board; leading to the development of standards and codes of practice that inhibit rather than support progression from the non-medical sector,” said Larissey. 

Habia intends to develop the National Occupational Standards for Beauty Aesthetics to Levels 6 and 7 in the future.