Medical negligence
‘Long overdue’ regulation proposed for cosmetic surgery
Proposals have been unveiled to bring new levels of regulation to cosmetic procedures which can currently be carried out by unregulated operators, causing risk and harm.
Under the plans, only qualified healthcare professionals will be able to carry out non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) and will need to meet strict criteria to secure licences to give Botox and fillers.
Age restrictions will also be introduced, to help protect under-18s from potentially dangerous social media trends and so-called beauty hacks.
The lack of regulation around invasive procedures has repeatedly been highlighted as causing significant potential risk, with many people experiencing complications, psychological trauma and permanent physical injuries through undergoing unregulated cosmetic treatments.
The Government said it will introduce regulation around the most dangerous procedures first – such as BBLs and breast filler, and only qualified health professionals will be able to deliver them.
Rules on who can offer procedures like Botox and fillers will also be subject to local authority licensing schemes, which will have rules around standards of safety, training and insurance.
However, concerns have been raised at how long the introduction of these regulations may still take, with unregulated practitioners still being allowed to operate.
Law firm Slater and Gordon acts for individuals nationally who have been impacted by cosmetic procedures going wrong, and is an advocate for urgent reform.
Kelly Lloyd Davies, principal lawyer at Slater and Gordon, says: "Proper regulation for invasive cosmetic procedures is long overdue, and while it's welcome that this is now being addressed, we're still a long way from it becoming reality with the need for public consultation and then Parliamentary approval.
"Every day, people are suffering from the impacts of rogue operators administering unregulated treatments, and as clinical negligence lawyers we see first-hand the hugely damaging physical and psychological impact this can have. We would urge that this process is moved along as quickly as possible, as the protection of the public is something we cannot continue to put at risk."
