The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has recommended that aesthetic nurses seeking advice on reopening their clinics should refer to guidance issued by the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) and accredited voluntary registers, the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) and Save Face.
In an email to the chair of the JCCP Professor David Sines, Geraldine Walters, the executive director of Professional Practice at the NMC, acknowledged that while the NMC does not hold decision-making powers in relation to the operation of businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, it does recognise that this has been a ‘difficult time’ for nurses in the aesthetic and cosmetic industry.
As such, she explained that the NMC has now published guidance in the Frequently-Asked Questions section of its website, which states, ‘For registrants managing or working in businesses in the aesthetic and cosmetic industries, you may find it helpful to refer to the guidance of the Professional Standards Authority or accredited voluntary registers run by the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners and Save Face, as well as the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses’.
Walters emphasised that the rules detailing which businesses and ventures are allowed to operate during the pandemic are issued by the Government, while the NMC is responsible for regulating nurses, midwifes and nursing associates. She said, “During the pandemic registered nurses, midwives and nursing associates are expected to follow the Code. In the same way registered nurses working in aesthetic and cosmetic practice will be expected to follow the Code. This includes ensuring they follow the laws and policies in the countries where they practise, having appropriate indemnity and continue to make decisions (including risk assessments) in line with the Code.”
Sharon Bennett, nurse prescriber and chair of the BACN, said, “The NMC clearly directs aesthetic practitioners looking for support and guidance to these registered bodies and, importantly, the professional association for cosmetic nurses, the BACN. We worked extremely hard on the guidelines which cover preparing the clinical environment, managing consultations and treatments, organising consent and payment, as well as disinfection and PPE protocols.”
Click the following links to access the relevant guidance:
· BACN Suggested Operational Guidelines for COVID-19 – Reintegration of Medical Aesthetic Services
· JCCP Preparing Your Place of Work: COVID-19 & Return to Practice
