Wolverhampton council launches voluntary compliance scheme for beauty businesses
A bid to make services in the beauty industry safer and more transparent has been launched by a Black Council council in what is claimed to be a national first.
City of Wolverhampton's environmental health team has unveiled its new voluntary Cosmetic Compliance Scheme following what it called "growing local and national concerns" around high-risk procedures and poor levels of care in the beauty industry.
Businesses in Wolverhampton offering cosmetic and aesthetic treatments are being encouraged to join the scheme which aims to improve standards and provide reassurance to customers who are considering procedures such as botox, fillers and chemical peels.
As the industry grows in popularity, the Government confirmed plans in August to introduce a mandatory licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England.
This followed a national public consultation in 2023 which attracted nearly 12,000 responses, with strong public backing for increased regulation of the sector.
However, this is not likely to be introduced for a few more years so the council said it was keen to encourage local businesses and practitioners to sign up to its voluntary initiative now.
Once registered, environmental health officers will inspect businesses and individual practitioners against a set of criteria.
If they are found to be compliant, stickers and certificates will be issued for the clinic and practitioners to display and their details will be included on an online register for customers to check.Inspections will cover topics including infection prevention, waste management, product safety, access to prescription medicines and after care.
The scheme will also include protecting children from harm and reviews of practitioner training and competency.
In 2023, City of Wolverhampton Council became the first local authority in England to serve a prohibition notice on a business offering non-surgical Brazilian butt lifts.
And earlier this year, it supported the UK Health Security Agency with investigations into a local clinic offering so-called 'vampire facials'.
Cllr Bhupinder Gakhal, the council's cabinet member for resident services, said: "The popularity of cosmetic treatments has grown substantially in recent years and it has become increasingly easy to access them on the high street.
"But, just because they are available, this does not necessarily mean that they are safe. Some of these treatments carry risks such as anaphylactic reactions, infection, injury to nerves and blood vessels, burns, pain and, in some cases, even death.
"Too often they are being carried out by salons and practitioners who do not have the right levels of qualification or experience.
"While we await the introduction of the Government's mandatory licensing regime, we hope that as many city businesses as possible will sign up to our voluntary compliance scheme.
"The safety of residents is of paramount importance to us, as shown by the pioneering work of our environmental health team.
"And I would encourage as many salons, clinics and other practitioners to join with us and offer a reassuring experience for anyone considering these treatments."
