Aesthetics Licensing & Regulation: JCCP Key Priorities 2024

We’re all eagerly awaiting the next government aesthetics licensing and regulation announcement. In the meantime, the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) has released its key priorities for 2024 which largely relate to getting this over the line.

A 12-page document outlining what the JCCP does, why, and where its priorities lie for this important year for the industry, was released on 26th February.

It’s available for download from the JCCP website and is entitled, “The Public Narrative for 2024 by The Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners and The Cosmetic Practice Standards Authority”.

Here’s why you should read it…

What is the JCCP?

The JCCP is a charity which describes its remit as being “a UK national body that registers practitioners and approves education and training providers, in the fields of non-surgical cosmetic treatments and hair restoration surgery.”

Furthermore, the JCCP is “accredited by the Professional Standards Authority which is accountable to Parliament, and which oversees the regulation of health and care professionals working in occupations that involve statutory regulation (for example, doctors, registered nurses, dentists, pharmacists and allied health professionals). The Professional Standards Authority also accredits registers of health and care practitioners in those areas that are not yet regulated by law.

The JCCP works with the Cosmetic Practice Standards Authority (CPSA) to push for and help uphold better standards of patient and practitioner care within non-surgical aesthetics.

Aesthetics training schools and practitioner registers

To assist healthcare professionals in choosing their medical aesthetics training courses wisely, the JCCP operates a register of approved centres.

Harley Academy is JCCP-approved, as is VTCT, the awarding body for our Level 7 in injectables.

The JCCP also provides a register of aesthetics practitioners - which trainees undertaking the Harley Academy Level 7 Diploma in Botox & Dermal Fillers can join - to help patients make safer choices.

Chaired by Professor David Sines, CBE, an industry leader and Harley Academy Board member, the JCCP has been a driving force behind the government’s aesthetics licensing and regulation plans for England.

Timeline of aesthetics regulation initiatives

Prof. Sines has been involved in helping the government to establish guidelines for safe aesthetic practice for many years. This includes playing a role in determining the Health Education England (HEE) framework guidelines for delivering aesthetic medicine training.

Harley Academy’s Level 7 was mapped to these very guidelines from its inception thanks to its originator, our founder, Dr Tristan Mehta. It was the first Ofqual-regulated, Master’s level qualification in Injectables - and it’s only been improved since then!

A timeline of the key dates and initiatives that have gone towards getting to our current position of actualising aesthetics licensing regulations in England, is detailed in the released document.

This is available to read in full on the JCCP website and outlines the organisation’s contributions.

What the JCCP hopes to see from forthcoming aesthetics licensing regulations

Reiterating a commitment to its 10 Point Plan, the JCCP outlines three particular areas of focus. It states that the following should be put in place:

• “...statutory regulation to ensure that only cosmetic practitioners who meet the required standards for safe and effective practice can practise legally”
• “...national, mandatory education and training standards for all cosmetic practitioners”
• “High-risk procedures, such as injectable toxins, fillers, ‘invasive’ lasers, vitamin infusions, threads and ‘deep’ peels should only be administered by suitably trained and qualified healthcare professionals.”

These points echo the government’s initial aesthetics licensing regulation announcement from October 2023. This revolved around introducing a ‘traffic light’ system or ‘RAG-rating’ - red/amber/green - based on the risk and invasiveness of non-surgical procedures.

The JCCP’s 2024 mandate focuses on aesthetics regulation

Its February report details the JCCP’s 12 key priorities for 2024.

These include:

• Continuing to be “actively and fully engaged in the DHSC public consultation licensing process”
• Calling for “a clearer definition regarding medical, medically related and cosmetic procedural interventions”
• Continuing to “engage with research partners to contribute to the evidence base to inform safe and effective aesthetics practice and governance”
• Expanding and developing the JCCP&me consumer/public-facing website to further raise consumer awareness of the risk associated with the higher level/invasive procedures
• Continuing to “build on those areas where it is seen as having a major strategic role in the sector – influencing members of the public, government, regulators and other stakeholders, complaints handling, standard setting, licensing and education and training”
• Further developing its Education & Training Register “for providers and qualifications in association with DHSC proposals for the design and implementation of a new licensing scheme in England”
• Continuing to campaign for the full implementation of the JCCP 10 Point Plan as part of the Government’s proposed licensing scheme
• Pursuing its work with regulators to ensure that “the highest standards are adopted” within the proposed aesthetics licensing scheme in England.

The JCCP’s Clinical Advisory Group will also “continue to work with the CPSA and key partners to develop new and revised standards to assist in the design of a new and responsive model for licensing and to identify emerging procedures that may warrant inclusion in the Government’s new licensing system.”

Interested in the future of aesthetics licensing regulation?

If you’re an aesthetics practitioner or are considering a career in medical aesthetics, the forthcoming regulations are no doubt of interest to you.

We will continue to publish details as and when they become available concerning all aspects of the aesthetics regulations for England. However, you may find it more convenient to receive updates to your inbox by signing up for our alerts.

Aesthetics Careers Open Evening: Licensing Special

Are you thinking about training with Harley Academy and want to know more about our Level 7 Licensing Guarantee?

We’ll be holding a Licensing Special of our regular Aesthetics Careers Open Evening on Thursday 21st March, at 7pm, for doctors, dentists, nurses and clinical pharmacists who have not yet embarked on any aesthetic medicine training courses.

This FREE live event will be hosted in-person and online by our founder and CEO, Dr Tristan Mehta, and will discuss the following:

• How to transition your career from the NHS to aesthetic medicine
• The three main career routes in aesthetics
• Pros and cons of working in medical aesthetics
• Where we are with aesthetics regulation in England right now
• What we know about the introduction of an aesthetics licensing scheme, including the categorisation of different treatments and who can practice each of these
• What training aesthetics practitioners currently need in order to practice non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as botox and dermal fillers
• How this requirement is likely to change under the forthcoming aesthetics licensing scheme
• Why we are so confident in our Level 7 Diploma in Botox & Dermal Fillers that we’re offering a guarantee to those purchasing ahead of the government announcement, that our training course will meet the toxin and filler educational requirements needed by law.

This event will be held at our City of London flagship centre - Harley Academy Threadneedle Street - and livestreamed via Zoom.

It offers the chance to learn what a career in aesthetic medicine could offer you. You’ll also be able to network with fellow healthcare professionals and aesthetics practitioners and have our team answer all your questions.

Open to doctors, dentists, nurses and clinical pharmacists, this event is for those of you who have not yet dipped your toes into the water of medical aesthetics. It will provide all the information you need to make decisions about your future and the opportunity to get personalised advice.