According to a survey of 2,031 medical aesthetic practitioners, 41% are planning to operate in the UK from July 4 following the COVID-19 lockdown.
The survey was conducted by aesthetic practitioner and clinical director of SkinViva Training Dr Tim Pearce, who read the results to the aesthetic community live on Facebook on June 26 alongside SkinViva director Miranda Pearce.
Respondents were asked if they would be operating their aesthetic practice from July 4. While 41% said yes, 32% said they were not going to operate, and 28% said they were undecided.
Dr Pearce said, “This survey is not a vote about whether you should open or not, it is individual business revealing their independent assessment about whether they are opening. I believe we have an identity crisis in our industry about what category we fall into. There are many reasons why good, responsible healthcare practitioners might fall more into the beauty sector, for example. If you are going to interpret the Government’s advice, it is hard to do that if you are not certain what category of business you are. So, you need to make a decision about where you feel your particular business falls.”
Dr Pearce said that he believes that the decision to reopen comes from the practitioner’s particular interpretation and their particular business. He advises practitioners to ask themselves, ‘Do I consider myself in an excluded category, can I meet the COVID-19 secure guidelines, and am I insured?’.
Hamilton Fraser, Cosmetic Insurance, and Enhance insurance have all released statements on practitioners returning to practice. They note before making the decision to reopen, practitioners should consider all the applicable guidance, conduct a COVID-19 risk assessment, and inform their insurance provider of any intention to return to work.
