Trust – a word that makes us all sit up and listen.  And in medicine, trust is fundamental for patient confidence in their doctor.  So whether it’s an aesthetic procedure or urgent life-saving treatment – every patient needs the reassurance that they are being treated by a suitably qualified healthcare professional.

It’s no secret that the non-surgical cosmetic interventions industry has been booming for some years now and in a recent study by Health and Education for England (HEE), 2015 was expected to see the industry valued at more than £3 billion.  And as demand increases for non-surgical procedures such as botulinum toxin injections and laser tattoo removal – so too does the need for qualified practitioners.

A large number of non-surgical cosmetic interventions are performed by allied medical professionals, such as nurses and pharmacists, and a significant number are also provided by beauticians. Following completion of training in an appropriate specialty senior doctors may choose to pursue cosmetic surgery as part of their practice, but increasingly we are seeing more doctors performing non-surgical cosmetic interventions.  Why is this?

There is certainly the demand for practitioners with established medical training and the ability to prescribe prescription only medication, such as botulinum toxin injections. They are also commercially attractive to established cosmetic businesses.  Some doctors may wish to top up NHS salaries and take advantage of the flexible working that the non-invasive industry offers.

The Government have quite rightly recognised that our industry is rapidly evolving and requires regulation. As a result of the ‘Keogh Review’ of the regulation of cosmetic interventions, Health Education England have formulated requirements for training to ensure safety and quality for patients. Professor Sir Bruce Keogh highlighted the “profound impact on health and wellbeing” that cosmetic interventions can have. The new regulations promise a robust and unified set of standards for training that ALL practitioners must meet. Prior experience and qualifications are recognised, but even qualified doctors, dentists, and nurses will need to demonstrate that they have been trained to the required standard.

At MATA, we believe in putting this into practice and welcome the new regulations.  We are proud of our reputation and want to protect that of the industry.  Training future cosmetic practitioners from a variety of backgrounds to maintain standards must be a priority for successful businesses in this industry.  Promoting delivery of world class care is our way forward.

With the new regulations and training from MATA courses, trust in the industry has never looked brighter.