GMB: Watchdogs struggling to cope after rushed aesthetics clampdown

Hundreds of women-led businesses may close because over-stretched watchdogs are not ready to regulate beauty treatments like Botox and fillers, according to GMB Scotland.

The union, representing aesthetics practitioners, warns clinics applying to Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) to be licensed under new Scottish Government legislation are at risk because of long delays, inconsistent advice and escalating costs.

HIS has told female entrepreneurs running clinics across Scotland applications will take up to eight months to be approved with the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill coming into force in September.

Sabrina Klita-Baird, owner of Breagha Aeshetics, in Airdrie, said there has been little guidance from HIS during an application process that is long, complex, and expensive.

She said: “The application alone costs £4000 and the work needed to get approval could cost ten times that but when I asked for guidance, I was sent a link to an online pamphlet.

“HIS do not even want to talk to me never mind send someone to actually visit my business and explain exactly what might be required.

“Some of us are being told one thing, some are being told another. It’s all over the place and exactly what we feared would happen.

“I have already uploaded almost 40 different documents, paid for fire safety reports and electrical safety reports and taken a loan out for the equipment demanded so far, new fridges and sinks, thermostatic taps, ventilation, flooring, all of it.

“It is the same application process that a hospital or GP’s surgery would go through. They might have the staff and resource to cope with it but I don’t and there are lots of small, reputable businesses just like mine.”

The legislation approved by MSPs earlier this year is intended to clampdown on rogue operators in the aesthetics sector by demanding non-surgical beauty procedures are performed by registered medical professionals in regulated premises.

However, GMB Scotland said hundreds of good businesses, run by well-trained women who have spent thousands of pounds on premises and equipment, face closure because of legislation shaped by powerful lobbying by medical practitioners in the aesthetics sector.

Kirsty Nimmo, GMB Scotland organiser, said ministers must act with urgency to protect and support women-led businesses facing turmoil as they try to comply with rushed legislation and inadequately-resourced regulation.

He said: “Our members are women with the certified skills and entrepreneurial zeal to run safe and successful businesses in Scotland’s high streets.

“They are exactly the kind of people who should have ministers’ respect and support instead of being thrown under the bus by hasty and ill-considered legislation.

“No one wants to get cowboys out of the industry more than they do but instead many are preparing to give up and close down.

“Many more are trying to pick their way through a regulatory process which is expensive, complex and seems deliberately designed to drive them out of business.

“Regulators do not have the resource to offer reputable businesses clear and consistent advice while the intended targets of this legislation will simply ignore the law and go underground.”

“Scotland’s politicians have again rushed to introduce ‘world-leading’ legislation without due diligence or understanding of the unintended consequences, which, on all past form, will make things worse not better.”

The union has written to the Scottish Government asking for an urgent meeting with the ministers to call for more resource to be given to HIS to ensure aesthetic clinics seeking regulatory approval are given every possible support.

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