CQC standards for aesthetics & cosmetic surgery: Do I need to register?
The CQC is the Care Quality Commission that regulates activities including surgical cosmetic procedures and services in slimming clinics. Any person or business who fails to register with the CQC when carrying out such activities is committing an offence which can lead to financial penalties or custodial sentences. Providers of these services need to establish if they are caught by the registration requirements. By the time you find out you are required to register, it could be too late.
Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, a provider who carries out a regulated activity must be registered with the CQC. This can mean both individuals and businesses. But does this apply to non-surgical and non-invasive cosmetic procedures? Keep reading to discover whether you should be registered and learn more about the CQC standards for aesthetics.
CQC rules and regulations
In the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, surgical procedures are defined as: "Surgical procedures cover the following procedures carried out by a healthcare professional: surgical procedures for treating disease, disorder or injury; or cosmetic surgery". However, the legislation does not provide a specific definition of what is meant by "cosmetic surgery". This means it can be confusing and unclear for providers to know with certainty whether they need to register with the CQC to provide the services they offer.
There are many different cosmetic surgeries that aesthetic clinics can offer. These can be facial procedures or more invasive procedures such as liposuction and surgery. By law, you need to register with the CQC if you administer medical services such as:
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
Refractive eye surgery or lens implant surgery
All types of thread lifting.
However, the CQC does not regulate other procedures and so clinics that offer these do not need to register with them. These procedures include:
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.
Once a clinic is registered with them, the CQC will publish the name and location of the clinic and its findings. This information helps the public choose the clinic they wish to attend to acquire the services they require. When choosing a clinic, patients should research and make an informed decision based on their findings.
What are the 5 CQC standards?
When CQC inspectors evaluate any care service they are guided by 5 areas: The
the CQC 5 Standards. People refer to these areas collectively by different names, you might sometimes hear the CQC 5 Domains. When you register with the CQC, they will consider each of the 5 standards to make sure that your clinic is safe to be practising.
Safe: Are service users, staff and visitors protected from abuse and avoidable harm?
Effective: Is the care, treatment and support achieving good outcomes, promoting a good quality of life and is evidence-based where possible?
Caring: Do staff involve and treat people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect? Is the culture of the organisation a caring one?
Responsive: Are services organised so that they meet people’s needs? ‘Responsive’ concerns whether care is shaped to fit the individual. Is it flexible to those preferences and needs? Does it adapt to fit if those needs or preferences change? It maps the principles of Person Centred Care very closely.
Well-led: Does leadership, management and governance of the organisation assure the delivery of high-quality person-centred care, support learning and innovation, and promote an open and fair culture?
CQC for Botox and laser hair removal
Even though aesthetics clinics that specialise in less invasive procedures such as Botox and laser hair removal do not have to register with the CQC, any person considering treatment should make sure that the person doing the procedure is fully qualified. All cosmetic treatments, including non-surgical ones, can have risks. They should always be carried out by someone trained and qualified to provide them.
One way to judge if someone is suitably trained and qualified is to see if they are on an accredited register. Practitioners do not legally need to register to carry out treatments, but if they are registered it can give you confidence that they are safe to practice. It is recommended that you register your practice to ensure that clients feel that they can trust your practice. The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) is the body that gives accreditation for voluntary registers of unregulated activities in health and social care. You can check with the PSA to find out if a practitioner is registered.
When someone joins an accredited register they must supply certain information, like qualifications and insurance details (if required for their accredited registration). The organisation that runs the register can help if you have a concern or complaint about a member.
No matter what procedures your clinic specialises in, it’s best to be cautious to ensure that you are following all relevant regulations. If you have any doubt whether the service you or your organisation provide requires you to be CQC registered, you can contact CQC to make an enquiry and record their response in writing. Although CQC does not have an exhaustive list of procedures that would be considered surgical procedures, they do provide some examples which may be enough to clarify any doubts. You may wish to obtain guidance from CQC in writing to protect your position in case you run into problems later.
We hope this information has been helpful and will help you follow the CQC standards for the aesthetics and cosmetic surgery industry. Here at Crysp, we are all about helping businesses digitise their compliance and manage their risks. We can help you complete your risk assessment for your aesthetics or cosmetic surgery clinic.
Contact Crysp today for a chat about how we can help you stay on top of your health and safety obligations. Want to know more about how we help other service providers pass their CQC inspections? Take a look at the CQC guides we’ve created for dental practices, salons, care homes and GPs.