The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has released a response to the 2022 Select Committee Report on the Impact of Body Image on Mental and Physical Health, confirming that the new proposed licensing scheme is to be delayed.
In its statement, the DHSC affirmed its commitment to ‘taking forward work to introduce a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England’, but confirmed that the Report’s proposed deadline of July 2023 for this introduction would not be met.
Furthermore, the DHSC did not mention any plans to classify dermal fillers as prescription-only medications (POMs), despite suggestions from the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) that this change is essential for safeguarding.
However, the statement did emphasise the importance of secure medical insurance, reputable training courses for medical practitioners, responsible social media advertising and adequately considering patients’ mental health. The DHSC did also suggest that it will consider the prospect of premises licenses for non-CQC-registered locations where non-surgical cosmetic procedures are being performed.
Professor David Sines, chair of the JCCP, commented, “We are delighted that many of the key issues raised in our representation to the Select Committee have been supported by the DHSC. The JCCP welcomes this offer and will commit to working closely with the Government and other relevant regulatory bodies during the forthcoming months to realise the key objective of embedding patient safety and public protection for members of the public who elect to engage with non-surgical procedures within the context of a robust and effective licensing scheme in England.”
Aesthetics will report further
on this issue as it develops.
