Hansard

I thank Stuart McMillan for securing this debate on an important issue that is of real concern to many of my constituents.

Concerns have been raised by medical practitioners that Scotland’s aesthetics regulations are woefully deficient. Every day, vulnerable individuals risk putting their health and their lives in the hands of unqualified laypeople offering aesthetic procedures. Doctors, dentists and nurses are heavily regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, the General Medical Council and other bodies to ensure patient safety, medicine management and insurance coverage. However, laypeople with no professional oversight or competence are free to perform the same high-risk procedures, often in unsafe and unsanitary environments, with little to no accountability when complications arise.

Unqualified and unsupervised individuals are injecting botulinum toxin, or Botox—a prescription-only drug—and dermal fillers into uninformed members of the public with no mandatory insurance or medical oversight. Training courses are unregulated, and some practitioners undergo no formal training at all. There is a wild west element to many treatments.

As Stuart McMillan has noted, there is precious little oversight from any professional body, and the consequences can be severe. It is time that the Parliament looked into the matter, because the treatments seem to be growing ever more popular by the month. Action must take place now, before the situation spirals out of control.

People who undergo shoddy treatment often end up with deep physical and psychological scars from the experience, and we cannot allow that to go on. Although I understand the desire behind the practices and I appreciate how popular some of the treatments have become, it is simply not worth the potential risk to mental and physical health.

The impact goes beyond the individuals who suffer. As Stuart McMillan has said, sub-par regulation is costing our NHS a fortune in time and resources, as our health service needs to step in at a later stage to help those who suffer from a botched treatment. Sometimes, that is correction treatment; other times, the result can be an increased demand for mental health care. In either case, poor practices and the lack of regulation are contributing to the on-going lengthy waiting times in our NHS and are putting medical practitioners under more pressure.

I recently met Lesley Blair, chief executive officer of the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology, who highlighted the lack of regulation and standardisation in non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Such treatments are often performed not by medical practitioners but by individuals without proper qualifications, leaving consumers unaware of the risks. Lesley Blair stressed the urgent need for regulation, pointing to the tragic case of Alice Webb, who died following a botched procedure. That shows how vital it is to implement proper oversight as soon as possible. BABTAC also noted consumer surveys revealing that many people falsely believe that the beauty industry is regulated, which only increases the risks involved.

Recently, I had a meeting with the legislation team regarding a bill that would prevent under-18s from receiving such procedures unless advised by a doctor. Such legislation already exists in England. In her winding-up speech, could the minister tell us whether such a measure will be included in her consultation, and could she provide assurances that the Government will move at pace?

I thank Stuart McMillan for bringing the debate to the Parliament. The issue is important and must be examined in more detail. The Parliament has a duty to act to regulate the industry for the protection of people who might suffer from sub-par treatments. I hope that anyone considering a treatment from an unregulated practitioner will think again and exercise caution.