Best Practice – FAQs

 

It is commonly asked, “What should I look for when choosing my skin clinician?”

To answer this question, it is useful to refer to the 2013 Department of Health (DoH) report: The review of the regulation of Cosmetic Interventions by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh KBE.

He identified three key areas:

• Ensure quality of care is as high of possible.
• Be informed and empowered to make the best choices.
• Ensure there is a process of redress.

Fresh Skin Clinic FAQs – Quality of Care:

Is the clinician a specialist, qualified medical practitioner?

The DoH report recommends that people undergoing non-surgical treatments “should be able to be confident that their practitioner has the required skill and expertise to undertake the procedure successfully and safely.” Ask to see certificates of qualifications.

Ensure the clinician is a specialist in non-surgical cosmetic treatments and it is not just a sideline to their normal business or qualification. The DoH report recommends that all non-surgical procedures “must be performed under the responsibility of a clinical professional who has gained the accredited qualification to prescribe, administer and supervise aesthetic procedures”.

Furthermore, the report makes it very clear that it recommends that non-healthcare practitioners should ONLY perform these procedures under the direct supervision (ie: in the same room) of an appropriate qualified clinical professional and only once they have achieved the required accredited qualification.

Fresh Skin Clinic FAQs Key Information:

The clinician must explain everything about the procedure to the client.

The DoH report recommends, “when choosing to have a cosmetic intervention people need access to independent and evidence-based information to help inform their decisions.”

Many practitioners place particular emphasis on the low cost of their service. It is always wise to ask such a person why they are recommending a particular product for the procedure. If the answer is “it’s the cheapest” or “it’s all the same stuff so why pay more?” then perhaps you might want to reconsider your clinician options.

A full, appropriate medical history should be taken before any procedure and “for non-surgical procedures, a record of consent must be held by the provider”.

It is important that you don’t feel rushed or pressured in any way to take the treatment or procedure. You must feel comfortable with everything before you provide your informed consent. Take as long as you feel is right for you and a cooling off period should always be offered. If it isn’t, walk away.

TOP TIP: If you are in any doubt about anything or anyone, just Google it!

Redress:

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed by trained, experienced medical clinicians are on the whole very safe, there is always a chance that things can go wrong.

Examples include allergic reactions to Botulinum toxin or a blocked blood vessel during a derma filler procedure. It is essential that in the unlikely event of such an instance, the issue is properly diagnosed and an appropriate remedy administered as soon as possible. Ask your clinician to show you that they carry appropriate remedies at all times and are qualified to administer them.

Although a procedure may be undertaken safely, it can still sometimes not provide the outcome that was expected. So it is important that the client has access to their practitioner after the treatment for perhaps re-assurance or top-ups or maintenance. For this, you may want to choose a clinician who has a permanent base or clinic, even if you have chosen to have the procedure during a visit to another establishment.

The DoH report makes clear that “Where an individual has suffered loss or harm due to negligence they may be able to seek financial compensation via the healthcare practitioner’s insurance”.

Ask to see copies of the practitioner’s insurance certificates:

1. Professional Indemnity insurance.

2. Public Liability insurance.