CIEH welcomes Commons select committee recommendation on licensing of cosmetic procedures

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has welcomed a Commons select committee recommendation that a licensing system for non-surgical cosmetic procedures should be introduced within this Parliament.

The House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee, which has been conducting an inquiry into the health impacts of cosmetic procedures, has concluded in its report that the Government is not moving quickly enough in introducing a licensing system.

The Committee says the “lack of timely action is fostering complacency in self-regulation within the industry and is compromising patient safety”.

The Government is prioritising work to ensure that the highest risk cosmetic treatments can be performed only by suitably qualified and regulated healthcare professionals working for providers regulated by the Care Quality Commission. A consultation on the proposed changes is due to be held early this year.

The Government will also continue working to develop and implement local authority licensing for other procedures but has not provided a timescale for progress on this work.

CIEH has welcomed the Government’s plans to take action on the highest risk procedures but expressed concern about the continuing delay in implementation of the proposed licensing scheme.

CIEH has long called for the introduction of a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Following its work on the issue with a coalition of other organisations, an amendment to the Health and Care Bill was passed by the House of Lords. As a result, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care now has the power under the Health and Care Act 2022 to introduce a licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England.

The Committee’s report can be found here. The written evidence CIEH submitted to the inquiry can be found here.

Mark Elliott, President of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said:

“We believe the Government should accept this recommendation and provide a timeline now for consultation on and implementation of the proposed licensing scheme.

“The implementation of this scheme would be a crucial step towards ensuring that people who undergo non-surgical cosmetic procedures receive treatment from practitioners who are properly trained and qualified, have the necessary insurance cover and operate from premises that are safe and hygienic.”