The Care Quality Commission are regulator of health and social care in England. They ensure services in these areas are high-quality, safe and compassionate. These services include hospitals, GP practices, dental practices, ambulance services, care homes and home-care agencies. Often those within the cosmetics industry find themselves in a grey area, unsure whether their cosmetic clinics need to be registered with the CQC.
Read this article to understand what you need to know about the CQC if you are a part of the cosmetics industry.
Do I need to register with the CQC?
The Health and Social Care Act 2008, states that a provider who carries out a regulated activity must be registered with the CQC. Failure to do so is a criminal offence and can result in financial penalties or custodial sentences.
The regulations define surgical procedures as: ‘Surgical procedures cover the following procedures carried out by a healthcare professional: surgical procedures for treating disease, disorder or injury; or cosmetic surgery.’
‘Cosmetic surgery’ is a broad term which is why it can be difficult for those in the industry to determine if they need to register. The guidance that CQC provide for cosmetics is as follows:
Services have to register if they offer:
- Cosmetic surgery that involves instruments or equipment being inserted into the body – this includes breast surgery, facelifts, buttock or thigh lifts, eyelid or brow surgery, nose surgery, tummy tucks or any procedure where an implant is used
- Liposuction – this includes Laser lipolysis (such as Smart Lipo)
- Refractive eye surgery or lens implant surgery
- All types of thread lifting – for example, polydioxanone (PDO) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) thread lifting
Cosmetic treatments not required to register are:
- Subcutaneous injections of muscle relaxing substances used to alter appearance, like Botox®
- Subcutaneous injections of substances used to alter appearance, like dermal fillers
- Chemical peels
- Laser and intense pulse light (IPL) treatments like hair removal or skin rejuvenation
- Cosmetic procedures involving cutting or inserting instruments or equipment into the body (unless the procedure is carried out by a registered healthcare professional)
- Thread lifting carried out by someone who is not a healthcare professional. For example, a beautician
There is some overlap within these, for example, the insertion of instruments into the body. The deciding factor on what is regulated is whether it is a surgical or non-surgical procedure. Which ultimately is up to the CQC to decide. Some may argue that Botox® is a surgical procedure, however, it is not regulated.
If you are unsure whether your cosmetic services are required to register it is best to contact CQC early on and record their response in writing. This is to protect you from any legal problems that may arise.
What happens once I register?
Once your cosmetic services are registered, the CQC continuously monitor it. Through various inspections, the Commission talks to staff and customers, observes care and checks systems and processes. There are five key questions that they are looking for the answer to during the inspections.
Is it safe?
Are customers protected from abuse and avoidable harm?
Is it effective?
Does the care, treatment and support achieve good results and help maintain quality of life? And is it based on the best available evidence?
Is it caring?
Do staff treat customers with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect?
Is it responsive?
Are services organised so they can meet customer needs?
Is it well-led?
Does the leadership of the organisation make sure that it’s providing high-quality care that’s based on your needs? Does it encourage learning and innovation and promote an open and fair culture?
The CQC uses their findings during the inspections to create reports on clinics. These reports are available online for the public to read and determine which clinic they choose to go to.
Why is it important?
Cosmetic treatments are personal procedures that customers need to be able to trust their clinic with. Safety, quality and compassion are all things customers will be looking for when choosing clinics. CQC reports are reliable sources of information that many people will depend on. Having a report with a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ rating will instil trust and confidence in potential customers.
Cosmetic clinics in particular have been under fire for their safety processes. The CQC stated that one in five cosmetic surgery clinics is unsafe. So for cosmetic companies’ reputation, service quality and longevity, it is crucial to be safe and compliant.
At HE Interiors, we have experience working with those in the cosmetic and medical industry. Our experience with designing and installing interior fit-outs for this industry has allowed us to become specialists in how to appeal to customers. For more information about our services, get in touch today.
