20 Years of BCAM
2021 promises to be an exciting time for the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM), the UK’s foremost membership association for aesthetic doctors and dentists, as it embarks on 12 months of celebrations marking its 20th anniversary.
Aesthetic medicine has faced a multitude of challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and BCAM has been at the forefront, offering advice to its members to help them make informed decisions about their practices and patients.
Sadly, physical events are currently on pause but BCAM is planning conferences, an array of virtual member briefings and various anniversary celebrations throughout 2021 to mark its 20- year history.
BCAM has charity status and is committed to advancing the effective, safe and ethical practice of aesthetic medicine. The College started life as the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors in 2001, when pioneers Dr Rita Rakus, Dr Patrick Bowler and Dr Mike Comins got together to share their experiences and unite colleagues who were starting to practice aesthetics.
The inaugural meeting was held at the Law Society on 2 October 2001 with 27 attendees and since then the College has grown both in size and stature, now regularly providing information and data to the Department for Health and Social Care and Health Improvement Scotland, plus officially commenting on behalf of the medical aesthetics profession. BCAM’s anniversary celebrations will kick off on January 1 2021 with the launch of the College’s first new logo for 20 years, which has been devised by an internal creative team to reflect the medical, educational and aesthetic elements of the College’s work.
This will be followed by the launch of a new website in April which will completely modernise and streamline the College’s processes, enabling members to access their accounts and manage the public information they share. The application process for new members will also be brought online, making it easier and more straightforward, and the site will be mobile friendly and responsive.
Dr Uliana Gout, who celebrates her first year as BCAM President as the celebrations get underway in January, said, “This is possibly the most exciting time in the College’s 20-year history, as we put plans in place to modernise everything from our logo and website to the membership process. BCAM has really proved its worth to members in 2020 with a constant stream of advice and information that has allowed them to have confidence in the decisions they have made about their clinics and patients.”
She continued, “We have liaised closely with the DHSC, receiving detailed information specific to our sector, and engaged a QC on three occasions to ensure the advice we were sharing was based in fact not opinion. This has been crucially important in such uncertain times, and our members have been grateful to BCAM for taking the initiative. We look forward to celebrating with them in 2021!”
New BACN Campaigns
In 2020, the BACN held all its regional meetings online which allowed members to network with other nurses in their area, listen to talks and demonstrations from strategic partners, and keep up to date with the latest information and guidance. For 2021, the
BACN is establishing a more dedicated national event structure which run on a new monthly format. In Focus months will focus on a number of different topics/themes that appeal to BACN members, and the BACN will be working with a range of strategic partners to deliver these campaigns via all BACN digital channels. Each month there will be at least three BACN events that members have access to as part of their membership:
• A national digital webinar focusing on the monthly In Focus theme, with talks and demonstrations from strategic partners, BACN members, and KOLs within aesthetics. These webinars will each have an educational focus and be tailored to fit the diverse membership of very experienced aesthetic practitioners and those who are newer. All events will also be archived in the BACN member’s area for post event access to content.
• A live ‘In Conversation With’ interview between BACN Event Manager Tara Glover and a KOL whose expertise collates with the campaign month topic.
• A national peer-to-peer review and member social led each month by a BACN Regional Leader and comprising different discussions, issues, and concerns, along with a friendly social to encourage networking and to be a welcoming platform for new members to introduce themselves. Members will still have access to more local meetings that will be arranged by their regional leader and will be online for the present, with physical meetings taking place once it is safe to do so. Aside from the new event structure, work has also been carried out on reviewing the BACN Code of Conduct and outlining the BACN’s position on the medical model.
The major BACN programme in 2021 will be the launch of the BACN Competency and Career Framework for Aesthetic Nurses. This is a ground-breaking initiative leading to accreditation of BACN nurses, new linked qualifications and training programmes, assessment centres and a lot more. Although delayed due to COVID-19, the BACN Education and Training Committee has reconvened and will be looking to complete a first draft of this framework for peer review in the first quarter of 2021.
Once the peer review has been completed the BACN will consult its members prior to establishing the framework. During this time, the BACN will also be consulting and looking to gain support for the framework from key partners including the NMC and the RCN, identifying and sourcing the expertise to carry out the assessment procedures that will form part of the project moving forward, and reviewing the impact of any proposals on BACN membership categories.
The BACN will also be heading towards a milestone in membership numbers during 2021, and plans are underway to recognise this exciting achievement!
