Writing in this week's (February 7th) Bromsgrove Standard, Bradley said:
“Did you know that the non-surgical aesthetic treatment industry is completely unregulated? It’s shocking but true.
Like me, you may be shocked to learn this. I was when I met with Nicky Robinson - the owner of NR Aesthetics & Skin LTD - a CQC regulated medical aesthetics clinic in Blackwell, who brought this issue to my attention. I want to thank Nicky for all the work she is doing to protect people from unregulated professionals.
To protect professional clinicians and the country’s health, I’m working with Nicky to demand the Government introduces a mandatory licensing regime for non-surgical aesthetic treatments.
Fuelled by social media and societal pressures, demand for non-surgical aesthetic treatments such as Botox and lip fillers on the high street by unregulated professionals is on the rise and is an emergent healthcare crisis across the country.
Currently in the UK there is no regulation at all in medical aesthetic procedures. There are also no legal training requirements for beauty therapists and aesthetic practitioners injecting Botox or other brands of botulinum toxin, or dermal fillers.
Essentially this means anyone can buy Botox or dermal fillers on the black market and start injecting people with no training whatsoever. We know this is taking place in unregulated premises on the high street.
This is also one of the major challenges facing high streets and town centres across the country and tackling this, and other similar issues, must be part of the Government’s response to revitalising towns.
In 2023, Save Face, a government-approved register for medical aesthetic treatments, received reports from more than 3,000 people of complications or unwanted outcomes from cosmetic procedures. 48% of the complaints were from girls between 18 and 25 years old.
The Health and Social Care Act 2022 gives the Government the power to introduce a new licensing scheme and age limits for non-surgical cosmetic procedures. This would help improve standards and protect individuals from those without licences, including from the potentially harmful physical and mental impacts of poorly performed cosmetic procedures.
However, no licensing scheme has been introduced yet. More and more evidence is emerging which makes it clear why the Government must urgently introduce mandatory licensing for non-surgical aesthetic treatments in order to protect the country’s health.
This healthcare crisis will only get worse if Ministers don’t act now. Action must be taken before anyone else suffers from adverse effects from botched procedures, or even worse, tragically loses their life.”
