RCN will no longer insure members for aesthetic procedures

The Royal College of Nursing has announced that it will no longer insure its members for cosmetic procedures. From July 1, 2014, aesthetic work undertaken by employed RCN members is excluded from the scheme’s coverage. The RCN said that this change will prevent employers moving the burden of risk onto their staff and the RCN and will stop the college from inadvertently subsidising under-performing employers. Whilst members will still receive legal support and workplace representation, employers will now have to find adequate liability insurance for their staff. Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the RCN, said, “This ensures that the responsibility for claims rests with those who should be paying – namely the employer.” A spokesman for The British Association of Cosmetic Nurses said, “The withdrawal of indemnity insurance by the RCN and the governmental response to the Keogh report happening at the same time appear to be bad news for aesthetic nurses. “This RCN decision doesn’t mean that nurses won’t be able to get cover. It just means they can’t get it from being a member of the RCN. This isn’t as hard or as painful as it sounds. In fact the cover may be more individually tailored to cover the procedures that the nurse will actually be carrying out.” Eddie Hooker, CEO of Hamilton Fraser, said, “Our staff are not simply here to sell policies. They are trained specifically to understand the medical and aesthetic industry and will help throughout the complicated process of choosing medical liability cover.”