Cosmetic clinics will face fines for failing to register

HUNDREDS of private clinics carrying out cosmetic procedures in Scotland have just weeks to register with a new industry watchdog or face fines of up to £5,000.

Clinics run by doctors, dentists and nurses offering non-surgical cosmetic treatments will be committing an offence if they fail to register with Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) by April.

However, only about 500 clinics, offering treatments from Botox to teeth whitening, in the category have registered so far.

Claire Sweeney, interim director of quality assurance, said: “The providers of independent clinics that choose not to register with HIS will be in breach of the legislation and risk being reported to the procurator fiscal.”

Ken Stewart, consultant plastic surgeon and member of British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said the new regulations did not go far enough.

He said: “Registering clinics is one thing – but registering individual practitioners within the clinics is important and strictly regulating what clinics can and can’t do is important.”

The Scottish Government has set up a group to look at how to regulate nonhealthcare professionals in the cosmetic industry, such as hairdressers and beauticians, as the next phase of the regulation process.

Dr Simon Ravichandran of the Association of Scottish Aesthetic Practitioners, pointed out doctors, dentists and nurses said they are already accountable to their professional bodies.

But he added: “Anyone can buy a dermal filler. Over the last 10 years we have seen the public start to accept these as beauty treatments rather than medical treatment.”