CQC Registration for Aesthetic Clinics

The CQC does not regulate all aesthetic procedures and so not all clinics need to register with them. These procedures include:

• Subcutaneous injections of muscle relaxing substances used to alter appearance, like Botox
• Subcutaneous injections of substances used to alter appearance, like dermal fillers
• chemical peels
• Laser and intense pulse light (IPL) treatments like hair removal or skin rejuvenation
• Cosmetic procedures involving cutting or inserting instruments or equipment into the body (unless the procedure is carried out by a registered healthcare professional).
• Thread lifting carried out by someone who is not a healthcare professional. For example, a beautician.

By law, you need to register with the CQC if you administer medical services such as:

• Cosmetic surgery that involves instruments or equipment being inserted into the body – this includes breast surgery, facelifts, buttock or thigh lifts, eyelid or brow surgery, nose surgery, tummy tucks or any procedure where an implant is used
• Liposuction – this includes Laser lipolysis
• Refractive eye surgery or lens implant surgery
• All types of thread lifting.

However, in addition to being able to offer a wider menu of treatments, CQC registration acts as proof of medical approval for your aesthetics practice and may also put you in a good place for licensing laws when they are introduced.

How can you register with the CQC?

To register with the CQC, you will need to provide evidence of compliance with various regulations.

When you register with the CQC, they will consider 5 standards to make sure that your clinic is safe to be practising.

• Safe: Are service users, staff and visitors protected from abuse and avoidable harm?
• Effective: Is the care, treatment and support achieving good outcomes, promoting a good quality of life and is evidence-based where possible?
• Caring: Do staff involve and treat people with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect? Is the culture of the organisation a caring one?
• Responsive: Are services organised so that they meet people’s needs? ‘Responsive’ concerns whether care is shaped to fit the individual. Is it flexible to those preferences and needs? Does it adapt to fit if those needs or preferences change? It maps the principles of Person Centred Care very closely.
• Well-led: Does leadership, management and governance of the organisation assure the delivery of high-quality person-centred care, support learning and innovation, and promote an open and fair culture?

The CQC offers different types of registration depending on your clinic’s services. For aesthetic clinics, the most appropriate type of registration is the ‘Independent Healthcare Service’ registration. This registration type is for clinics that provide medical treatments on a non-residential basis.

1. Prepare your application: This will involve providing detailed information about your clinic, including its location, the treatments it offers, and the qualifications and experience of its staff. The application can be submitted online. 

2. Pay the registration fee: There is a fee to register with the CQC, which varies depending on the size and complexity of your clinic. You can find out the exact fee by contacting the CQC or visiting their website.

3. Wait for your registration to be approved: This can take several weeks or even months, depending on the complexity of your application and the workload of the CQC.

4. Prepare for your inspection: Once your registration has been approved, the CQC will schedule an inspection of your clinic to ensure that it meets the required standards of care and safety. You will need to prepare for this inspection by ensuring that your clinic is clean, well-maintained and that all staff members are properly trained and qualified.

In addition to the CQC, you may also need to register with other regulatory bodies, depending on the treatments that you offer. For example, if you offer laser treatments, you may need to register with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), also have a beauty qualification NVQ3 or the VTCT level 4 laser and IPL certificate. Similarly, if you offer injectables, you will need to register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) respectively.

The Benefits of CQC Registration for your clinic

This achievement is an indication of the high safety and patient care standards your practice represents. It shows that you run an officially regulated, medically-led aesthetics practice.

Sharing this information with patients, and potential clients, can inspire trust and reassurance. It also helps you to stand out from both non-medic injectors and medical aesthetics practitioners who aren’t CQC registered.