NAVIGATING THE FUTURE OF AESTHETIC QUALIFICATIONS AND LICENSING

Skin Group International’s Candice Glanville looks at how the Government’s consultation will affect education paths

The landscape for qualifications and licensing for aesthetics treatments has become increasingly complex. The Health and Care Act has recently undergone revisions, aiming to streamline and improve healthcare delivery. One of the noteworthy updates pertains to the aesthetics industry. Given the surge in non-surgical aesthetic treatments and the associated risks, there’s a recognised need for a register of licensed aesthetic practitioners. The change aims to ensure that practitioners meet certain standards, guaranteeing patient and client safety and elevating the professional reputation of the industry. The treatments that will be in the scope of the licensing requirements are still under consultation, with the education and training requirements due to be the subject of a future consultation, so what will the future hold?

Editor Anna Dobbie sits down with Candice Glanville from Skin Group International (SGI), a leading player in the aesthetics qualification and education arena, who offers insights into the current landscape of qualifications, regulatory bodies, and the future of aesthetic training.

THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULATED QUALIFICATIONS

At the moment there is no legal requirement for aesthetic practitioners to have regulated qualifications, in fact many practitioners have non-regulated or continuing professional development (CPD) certificates. The key difference between regulated and nonregulated qualifications lies in the extensive audits, checks, and safeguards that are in place prior to the award of regulated qualifications. While non-regulated qualifications may still offer valuable training and CPD opportunities, they often lack the same level of independent external scrutiny. This could be the crucial difference when it comes to licensing.

Qualifications regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) serve as a cornerstone of professionalism and quality in the aesthetics industry. They provide assurance to patients and clients that the practitioner has undergone rigorous training and assessment. These qualifications are subject to stringent standards scrutiny by Ofqual recognised awarding organisations. Glanville emphasises the significance of regulated qualifications for aesthetic practitioners: “A regulated qualification, where the certificate carries the Ofqual logo, signifies a high level of quality assurance and oversight. This might not always be the case with some nonregulated qualifications.”

JCCP RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE LICENSING SCHEME

TheJoint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) has been instrumental in raising awareness of the need for stringent regulations and has highlighted that standardised qualifications are essential for patient and client safety and the credibility of practitioners. Glanville highlights the recent statement made by the JCCP that qualifications should be regulated by Ofqual. The JCCP recognises that non-regulated, or ‘CPD-style’ are valuable for updating skills and knowledge, but these are not relevant for licensing purposes. “This underscores the importance of ensuring that practitioners have undergone rigorous training and meet established standards to ensure patient safety,” she comments.

THE CHALLENGE OF TERMINOLOGY

The aesthetics industry grapples with vague and ambiguous terminology; clarity in definitions is crucial for fostering trust and understanding within the industry.

Glanville touches upon the confusion surrounding terminology. “Phrases like ‘oversight’ and ‘supervision’ are not yet clearly enough defined in the context of aesthetic practice,” she adds. “There is a need for clear and precise definitions to avoid misunderstandings and unwarranted fears within the industry. The Government’s continuing consultation process will allow for businesses and individual practitioners to directly request such clarifications and definitions.”

CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE PATHWAY FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Glanville has worked with Gatehouse Awards, an Ofqual recognised awarding organisation, to develop a pathway of Ofqual-regulated qualifications for aesthetic practitioners ranging from Levels 2 to 7. Glanville says, “This approach is essential for ensuring that all practitioners, regardless of their background, receive appropriate training and qualifications. It promotes a standardised and inclusive approach to skills development.”

Glanville also says it is important to have a coherent pathway of qualifications that does not ‘skip levels’ to ensure that practitioners receive training appropriate to their skill levels and qualifications. “It must address the concern that some practitioners may bypass fundamental training and instead provide all practitioners with the necessary skills and knowledge they need to carry out safe and effective aesthetic treatment,” she says. “This approach must be applied equitably, with the same standards being met by all practitioners regardless oftheir prior role orthe different types of qualifications they may have gained.”

Glanville’s perspective is one which highlights the need for a nuanced approach to regulation that acknowledges the diverse skills and backgrounds of practitioners while upholding stringent safety standards. This applies to all practitioners, whether they are healthcare professionals or non-medical aesthetic practitioners. Glanville stresses the need to provide recognition for non-medical practitioners who have acquired extensive training and qualifications in aesthetics: “The challenge lies in finding a balance that recognises their expertise without compromising patient safety. The pathway of Ofqual-regulated qualifications is a response to that challenge.”

OPTIMISM FOR THE FUTURE

Despite the challenges and uncertainties surrounding the future of aesthetic qualifications and licensing, there is an underlying optimism. Many practitioners are eager to receive rigorous training and qualifications, ensuring the highest level of patient safety.

The aesthetics industry is at a crossroads, facing the need for clear definitions, robust regulations, and a pathway that caters to practitioners with various skill levels.

As the industry continues to grow and evolve, the importance of patient and client safety remains paramount. By establishing a register of licensed practitioners with clear standards and requirements for education and training, the aesthetics industry can thrive while ensuring the safety and well-being of those seeking aesthetic treatments. Ongoing discussions and developments will shape the industry’s future, with efforts being driven by a collective dedicated to upholding the highest standards of practice and ensuring that patients can confidently access safe and effective aesthetic treatments.

CANDICE GLANVILLE ON MAKING QUALIFICATIONS ACCESSIBLE

What led you to set up SGI?

Back In 2013, Sir Bruce Keogh released a report looking into the aesthetics and cosmetics sectors, finding that the industry was largely unregulated called for a new legislative framework to cover the safety of products, the training of practitioners and the licensing of premises. Glanville says: “At the time, I was involved in training for lasers. My mentor was a biomedical scientist who had worked in hospitals for around 40 years. He was almost 70 when the Keogh report came out, but he started to develop training courses around the report’s recommendations, recognising the patient safety aspects of aesthetic practice as being essential.

Taking the reins of this training company led me to form SGI, and I am privileged to have helped so many people participate in high quality training and achieve high quality qualifications.

“Over the years, I’ve identified the gaps in what training and qualification options are available to practitioners and I am mindful of those who have not undertaken a formal educational route into aesthetics, as their knowledge and skills cannot be overlooked. As Bruce Keogh said, ‘somebody who hasn’t got a formal qualification should not be disadvantaged if they have experience’. So we aim to make our training and education packages as fair and accessible as possible.”

How are you helping to make qualifications more accessible?

“Our mission at SGI is to ensure that our training and qualifications offer is fair and accessible to each and every practitioner, both medics and non-medics, and give them access to fully regulated qualifications to support their future career and prepare them to meet any license-linked requirements for training and qualifications they may encounter in the future too.

“Our expert team carefully considers each individual learner’s background, their prior qualifications and previous experience to curate a pathway of aesthetics education unique for them. The key principles our programmes are designed and developed around include becoming highly proficient, excelling in consultation skills, identifying contraindications, operating safely and hygienically in treatment delivery, and providing high quality aftercare. Given the history of the industry, it’s certainly not the case that practitioners have shied away from training in these areas. In fact, it’s very much the opposite – a lot of practitioners have taken years building up their skills, training with professional brands, undertaking manufacturer’s training programmes and undertaking a variety of CPD style training that has been available to them.

“SGI works in partnership with Gatehouse Awards, the Ofqualrecognised awarding organisation we use for our Level 2 to Level 7 regulated qualifications which make up the Aesthetic Pathway. Gatehouse Awards are a creative and innovative qwarding organisation, which offers a variety of flexible ways of working. We’ve worked hard to put in place a range of ‘candidate access’ arrangements, so if you’re not particularly experienced in formal education or external examinations, you can access help and advice from our academic support team. We’ve been able to put options in place, such as using professional discussions in place of formal exams or assignment writing. People might not be willing or able to travel, so we have a variety of assessment locations, or can visit practitioners in their own premises to assess their competency. This is something that helps put a lot of people at ease. We also use a formal ‘recognition of prior learning’ mechanism, which can also reduce the amount of study time someone needs to do prior to being formally assessed. Again, this all makes the programme and pathway to becoming qualified into a unique learning plan that’s really accessible and fully meets the needs of the individual.

“We’ve recognised that the pathway to competence is also multi-faceted, with other themes and issues that practitioners need to be aware of. All our programmes address body image awareness, equality, diversity and inclusion, the principles of safeguarding, the issue of physical, emotional and psychological well-being, working with clients with skin of colour and many other key themes vital to being a competent and confident practitioner. We just want to remove as many barriers as possible when it comes to accessing training and high quality assessment of competency.”

What advice would you give to anyone worried about their current qualifications?

“If you are unsure about any of the current regulations or what your training and qualifications mean and your next steps, please feel free to contact SGI!

“We have a team of expert advisors who can provide a wealth of information, advice and guidance based on your current level of expertise and experience. If you don’t have any Ofqual regulated qualifications yet, don’t panic. We can help!”