Request 101004035082

For the period 1 January 2023 to the date of this request, please provide:

1. Copies of briefings, guidance, correspondence, presentations, meeting records or other information received from the Scottish Government, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, COSLA or another body concerning:

a. restrictions upon which practitioners may perform specified procedures;
b. the requirement to operate from HIS-registered premises;
c. the presence of an authorised prescriber or healthcare professional; and
d. the evidence supporting distinctions between practitioner groups.

2. Copies of any comparative complication, injury, enforcement or safety data supplied to the Council concerning procedures performed by:

a. independent aesthetic practitioners;
b. doctors, dentists, nurses or other statutory healthcare professionals; and
c. different practitioner or professional groups.

3. Copies of records supplied to the Council concerning the number of practising independent aesthetic practitioners directly involved in developing the proposed regulatory system, excluding people who only submitted an open public consultation response.

4. Copies of records received concerning the role, legal status, powers, authority or representative standing of:

a. the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners;
b. Save Face Limited;
c. BABTAC; and
d. the British Beauty Council.

5. Copies of records explaining whether the Council was informed that:

a. JCCP operates a voluntary register and is not a statutory professional regulator;
b. Save Face is a private limited company operating a practitioner register and referral service; and
c. accreditation of a voluntary register by the Professional Standards Authority is distinct from statutory professional regulation.

6. Copies of any assessment or verification undertaken by the Council before referring to, endorsing, relying upon or circulating information supplied by an organisation listed in point 4.

7. Copies of records concerning:

a. the membership numbers or practitioner coverage of those organisations;
b. whether they were considered representative of independent aesthetic practitioners;
c. overlapping trustee, board, advisory or committee positions involving those organisations and JCCP; and
d. declarations or consideration of possible conflicts of interest.

8. Copies of records concerning the expected effects of the legislation within the Council area, including:

a. the number of affected practitioners and businesses;
b. possible business closures or insolvencies;
c. loss of employment or self-employment;
d. effects upon predominantly female-owned or female-operated businesses;
e. relocation into HIS-registered premises;
f. the availability and cost of suitable premises;
g. the availability and cost of prescribers or other required healthcare professionals; and
h. the capacity of HIS to register and inspect affected services.

9. Copies of representations made by the Council to the Scottish Government, HIS, COSLA or another body concerning the evidence base, proportionality, economic effects or practical implementation of the legislation.

10. Copies of current or proposed guidance, briefings or communications intended for affected businesses within the Council area.

11. Please identify the Council service or department responsible for:

a. communicating the changes to affected businesses;

b. assessing local business and employment effects;

c. responding to questions about the relationship between council licensing and HIS registration; and

d. monitoring business closures or loss of services following implementation.