Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers Bill published
A new Bill to regulate some of the most commonly performed non-surgical procedures has been published by the Scottish Parliament.
If passed by parliament, the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill will regulate the provision of certain non-surgical cosmetic and wellbeing procedures to ensure they are carried out in appropriate settings which can meet standards of safety and hygiene.
It will create new offences for providing non-surgical procedures outwith premises where appropriate healthcare professionals are available or to under 18s. It will also give Healthcare Improvement Scotland new powers to enter and search premises where there is a suspicion that these procedures are being carried out in breach of these offenses.
The Bill covers cosmetic and wellbeing procedures, such as Botoxinjections and dermal fillers, and some of the riskiest including ‘Brazilian Butt Lifts’ and thread lifts. The Bill follows a consultation carried out in 2020, which found 98% of respondents supported the principle of further regulation of procedures led by those who are not qualified healthcare professionals.
Businesses seeking guidance on adapting to the requirements of the Bill will be able to access free support through Business Gateway.
Additionally, FindBusinessSupport.gov.scot offers a comprehensive overview of funding opportunities, helping them navigate to change.
Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, Jenni Minto said: “Our aim is to ensure there is robust and proportionate regulation in place so that anyone who chooses to have these procedures can do so safely.
“We have worked with a range of stakeholders including business owners, healthcare professionals, non-healthcare practitioners, environmental health officers and professional regulators to develop our proposals.
“Our priority is to address the public safety concerns that exist in this sector, whilst ensuring businesses that may be impacted are able to access support.”
A groundbreaking genetic test that reduces the risk of deafness in newborn babies is being introduced by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) as part of a national rollout funded by the Scottish Government.
The rapid point-of-care test, which will launch in September, identifies a genetic variant that can cause permanent hearing loss when babies are treated with the common antibiotic Gentamicin.
It allows for more tailored care, with babies identified to have the variant provided with an alternative antibiotic.
The Genedrive test will start being used for babies requiring antibiotic treatment for infections within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) in Glasgow next month, with the Royal Alexandra Hospital and Princess Royal Maternity Hospital to follow soon after.
It will be rolled out to all territorial health boards with neonatal units over the next 18 months.
The initiative follows an assessment by the Chief Scientist Office-funded Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway, led by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD), and a Programme for Government commitment from the Scottish Government to provide £800,000 to support national adoption.
NHSGGC, through the West of Scotland Innovation Hub (WoSIH), recommended the test for consideration by ANIA.
It follows the ongoing UK-wide PALOH (Pharmacogenetics to Avoid Loss of Hearing) programme and an assessment by the Scottish Health Technologies Group.
Last week, Public Health Minister Jenni Minto visited the RHC neonatal unit to meet clinicians and representatives from the WoSIH, who have played a leading role in bringing the innovation to Scotland.
Ms Minto also discussed the planned national rollout with members of the CfSD.
Once fully implemented, it is anticipated that more than 3,000 newborn babies would be tested during the first year.
The test was developed by the company Genedrive, in collaboration with researchers from Saint Mary’s Hospital, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and The University of Manchester.
It is currently being used in 14 neonatal units across the UK, contributing to the PALOH-UK study.
NHSGGC is progressing staff training at the RHC, with the first tests scheduled for September.
Neonatal teams will be equipped to manage the testing process, adjust antibiotic treatment where necessary, and support families with confirmatory genetic testing if a positive result is found.
NHSGGC is also providing real-world data from the rollout and study to support the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)’s evidence generation recommendations, helping to refine national guidance and inform future adoption.
The rollout reflects NHSGGC’s broader commitment to harnessing digital innovation, improving access to personalised care, and shifting the balance of care to prevent harm before it occurs through its Transforming Together programme.
Dr Helen McDevitt, Consultant Neonatologist with NHSGGC and clinical lead for the PALOH-UK study at the RHC, said: “The introduction of this point-of-care genetic testing for newborn babies requiring antibiotic treatment for bacterial infection is a landmark moment for neonatal care in Scotland.
“By introducing this test, we are taking a vital step in preventing avoidable hearing loss in newborns and ensuring safer, more personalised treatment.
“We were pleased to meet Public Health Minister Jenni Minto today to discuss the rollout of this test, which will have a hugely positive impact on the lives of many people.
“Through our adoption of this test, NHSGGC will also be able to provide real-work data to support NICE in order to help inform its national guidance.”
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Government is funding the rollout of this test across all of Scotland’s neonatal units over the next 18 months.
“I want to thank the hardworking staff at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Glasgow who I met yesterday and who showed me a demonstration of the genetic test for newborn babies.
“NHS reform in Scotland will be accelerated by scientific and technological innovation, and this Government is committed to supporting Scotland’s excellent research base and adopting novel, evidence-proven approaches to drive further improvements for patients.”
Katie Cuthbertson, National Associate Director of the Centre for Sustainable Delivery, said: “We are delighted to support the rapid adoption of this pioneering genetic test through the ANIA pathway.
“This test will help prevent avoidable hearing loss and improved outcomes for families across Scotland, and represents a major step forward in delivering safer, more personalised care for newborns.
“We are excited to continue to collaborate with Boards and clinicians across NHS Scotland, to ensure we remain at the forefront of innovative, precision medicine and sustainable healthcare transformation.”
Gino Miele, Genedrive Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are proud that NHS Scotland has sought to implement our interventional rapid genetic test nationally, ensuring over time that it is available to neonates across Scotland who might otherwise be at risk of hearing loss.
“We look forward to working closely with CfSD, ANIA and individual sites to implement this into standard clinical practice throughout Scotland.”
Measures to protect the public and establish industry standards
New proposals to improve safety and standards in the non-surgical cosmetic procedures sector have been set out as the Scottish Government publishes its response to a consultation on the issue.
The proposals, informed by over 2,200 responses and broad stakeholder engagement, intends to introduce a minimum age of 18 for all procedures and classify treatments into three distinct groups which will be regulated to reflect the associated risk:
group 1 procedures – such as microneedling and non-ablative laser treatments – will require both a premises licence and individual practitioner licences issued by local authorities
group 2 procedures – including injectables like Botox® and dermal fillers – will have to be supervised by a qualified health care professional in a setting regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
group 3 procedures – for instance, breast and buttock augmentation – will have to be performed by a qualified healthcare professional in an HIS-regulated setting
The Scottish Government will take forward a combination of primary and secondary legislation to implement the proposals.
A new Bill regulating Group 2 and Group 3 procedures will be introduced later this year. Secondary legislation under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 will establish the licensing regime for Group 1 procedures.
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “It is deeply upsetting to hear of cases where people have suffered as a result of non-surgical cosmetic procedures going wrong.
“The current gaps in regulation mean that anyone can perform most of these procedures without the need for any formal training or qualifications. These proposals reflect our determination to protect the public and ensure high standards across this growing industry.
“I am particularly heartened by the broad support for action to make the sector safer, and we will continue to work closely with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, local authorities, and the wider industry to support a smooth and effective implementation.”
