MSP’s debate takes action on safety standards for non-medical cosmetic practitioners.
On October 3, 2024, a cross-party debate was hosted in the Scottish Parliament aiming to address gaps in the medical aesthetics industry’s regulation. Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) pledged to complete a consultation on new regulations by Christmas, with implementation planned by April 2026.
The key issues discussed include regulating non-medical practitioners, introducing a minimum age for treatments, and tighter controls on high-risk procedures like Botox and fillers.
Currently, only licensed medical professionals are regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), while non-medics remain unregulated.
Public health advocates and medical professionals are calling for comprehensive regulations to protect patients and introduce higher standards across the industry.
Managing director of Dr Victoria Skin Clinic, Hamish Dobbie, attended the debate and “was pleasantly surprised and pleased to see that the Roundtable event [he] had organised stimulated many MSPs, who had attended, to positively contribute and at which Renata Wojno attended and told her story as a victim.”
Whilst Mr Dobbie acknowledges that he, and others, may not fully agree with the final proposed implementation when it is published, he is “delighted that a time frame and cross-party agreement is in place that action must be taken urgently.”
The industry has been pushing for much tighter restrictions on the sector, which was highlighted by the case of Alice Webb, a Glaswegian woman who passed away after a serious infection following a "liquid" Brazilian butt lift carried out at a weekend pop-up clinic in the conference room of a Glasgow hotel.
The firm which carried out the detrimental BBL has been banned from performing procedures in the city following an investigation by environmental health officers.
Between April 2017 and 2023/24, the number of regulated independent clinics in Scotland, many offering cosmetic procedures, increased from 200 to 503. However, the exact number of unregulated practitioners remains unknown. Many of these individuals, who may have minimal training or lack insurance, operate privately from homes and promote their services through social media platforms.
Stuart McMillan MSP commented that “with the growing popularity of medical aesthetic procedures comes a growing need to properly regulate their provision, and it’s welcome that the Scottish Government is recognising this.
“The consultation is a first and very important step in the right direction, ensuring that any regulation is as effective as possible, with a focus on fairness and patient safety.”
On October 3, 2024, a cross-party debate was hosted in the Scottish Parliament aiming to address gaps in the medical aesthetics industry’s regulation. Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) pledged to complete a consultation on new regulations by Christmas, with implementation planned by April 2026.
The key issues discussed include regulating non-medical practitioners, introducing a minimum age for treatments, and tighter controls on high-risk procedures like Botox and fillers.
Currently, only licensed medical professionals are regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), while non-medics remain unregulated.
Public health advocates and medical professionals are calling for comprehensive regulations to protect patients and introduce higher standards across the industry.
Managing director of Dr Victoria Skin Clinic, Hamish Dobbie, attended the debate and “was pleasantly surprised and pleased to see that the Roundtable event [he] had organised stimulated many MSPs, who had attended, to positively contribute and at which Renata Wojno attended and told her story as a victim.”
Whilst Mr Dobbie acknowledges that he, and others, may not fully agree with the final proposed implementation when it is published, he is “delighted that a time frame and cross-party agreement is in place that action must be taken urgently.”
The industry has been pushing for much tighter restrictions on the sector, which was highlighted by the case of Alice Webb, a Glaswegian woman who passed away after a serious infection following a "liquid" Brazilian butt lift carried out at a weekend pop-up clinic in the conference room of a Glasgow hotel.
The firm which carried out the detrimental BBL has been banned from performing procedures in the city following an investigation by environmental health officers.
Between April 2017 and 2023/24, the number of regulated independent clinics in Scotland, many offering cosmetic procedures, increased from 200 to 503. However, the exact number of unregulated practitioners remains unknown. Many of these individuals, who may have minimal training or lack insurance, operate privately from homes and promote their services through social media platforms.
Stuart McMillan MSP commented that “with the growing popularity of medical aesthetic procedures comes a growing need to properly regulate their provision, and it’s welcome that the Scottish Government is recognising this.
“The consultation is a first and very important step in the right direction, ensuring that any regulation is as effective as possible, with a focus on fairness and patient safety.”
