Regulation and licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures: consultation analysis and response

Introduction

The 2025-26 Programme for Government announced in May that the Scottish Government will bring forward a Bill to regulate the delivery of non-surgical cosmetic procedures, and this report includes the proposals that will be incorporated into that legislation.

The Scottish Government first consulted on the regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in 2020, basing its proposals on existing local authority licensing schemes. The analysis of this consultation was published in July 2022 and showed that 98% of respondents agreed that further regulation of these procedures was required.

Since the publication of the analysis of the original consultation the Scottish Government has continued to receive representations highlighting the need for further regulation of this sector. The Scottish Government has worked with a range of stakeholders to understand the issues involved. It became clear that further consultation on a more detailed and robust regime of regulation was necessary, particularly to take account of procedures which required an element of input from healthcare professionals, whether to prescribe and/or administer prescription-only medicines or to allow for appropriate anatomical or physiological expertise.

In December 2024, the Scottish Government published a new consultation on the licensing and regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures, involving local authority licensing and regulation by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS). These proposals were drawn up following engagement with aesthetic practitioners, both healthcare professionals and those without a healthcare background; MSPs representing constituents’ concerns; individuals involved in training for the practice of non-surgical cosmetic procedures; local authority officers, and representatives from HIS. Advice from the Scottish Cosmetic Interventions Expert Group was also considered.

This report brings together an analysis of what respondents told the Scottish Government through the consultation and other channels, an explanation of the refinements made to the Scottish Government proposals, and information on the next steps and legislative plans.

As part of this work the Scottish Government is carrying out a range of impact assessments, which look in more detail at how the proposals will affect certain groups, for example businesses, children and young people and people from various protected characteristic and socio-economic groups. These assessments may inform further changes to the proposals and will be published in due course.