Scotland Takes Action: Campaigning for Stronger Aesthetic Industry Regulations

Scotland is currently facing a significant public health crisis due to a sharp rise in non-healthcare professionals offering medical treatments. Many of these treatments involve counterfeit medications and are carried out in unlicensed locations. Additionally, two new threats have emerged following recent regulations in England, leading to a phenomenon known as "border hopping." Non-healthcare providers from England are coming to Scotland to exploit the lack of regulation, and individuals under 18, who are banned from receiving certain procedures in England, are travelling to Scotland where it remains legal. If this issue is not addressed promptly, the consequences could be severe.

In response, representatives from the Scottish Medical Aesthetics Safety Group, the British College of Aesthetic Medicine, and the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses met with a cross-party group of MSPs at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, 13th June, to raise their concerns and advocate for immediate regulatory changes. The meeting was positive and productive, with all attendees agreeing that urgent action is essential.

Hamish Dobbie, who organised the representatives for the Roundtable, said, “Scotland needs action now, even if that requires interim measures. I was delighted with Ms. Minto’s suggestion for a cross-party group to get consensus and momentum behind new regulation. A quick win would be to bring Scottish law into alignment with the rest of the UK and make it illegal to provide aesthetic procedures to under 18s.”

Recently Hamish was back at Parliament to watch the debate on Regulation of the Medical Aesthetics Industry in Scotland by cross-party MSPs in the chamber. Hamish comments:

"I was pleasantly surprised by the debate and pleased to see that the Roundtable event we had organised stimulated many MSPs who had attended to positively contribute and use information provided to them."

Key points from the debate:

1. The Scottish Government has committed to complete a consultation for new regulations addressing the current gaps and publish the report by this Christmas, which includes:
1. The issue of lay people providing treatments without regulation.
2. Looking at legislation for a minimum age to get a treatment.
2. Implement the new regulation in the current parliamentary session which means the latest date would be April 2026.

Hamish continues:

"Whilst I acknowledge that I, and others, may not fully agree with the final proposed implementation when it is published – I am delighted that a time frame and cross-party agreement is in place that action must be taken urgently."

You can watch the full Parliamentary debate here.