It’s official – Skin Deep Clinic is a Save Face accredited practice. A government approved organisation, Save Face works in aid of public safety by ensuring only appropriately qualified people on their register can offer non-cosmetic treatments. It takes a thorough assessment for them to award accreditation to a practitioner, but I’m no stranger to assessment and qualifications…
The Code of Conduct
Since starting my nurse training in 1990 (yes I’m THAT old kids!) I have belonged to an exclusive register bound by rules and regulations, AKA “The Code of Conduct”. The Nursing and Midwifery Council has changed its name over the years but being on the register gives me a unique Professional Identification Number with practising “privileges”, for want of a better word.
A duty of care to clients
As a registered nurse and independent prescriber it is my privilege to provide aesthetic treatments, and do so to the highest of standards. There are many rules that go along with this, chief among them: I am bound by duty not to put my clients at risk, to practise within my sphere of competence, to continually update my knowledge and to maintain strict confidentiality, etc. Should I break any of these rules then my privileges could be permanently removed.
Rogue traders
Therefore maybe you can appreciate my frustration when, lately, I’ve seen more and more people popping up offering injectable aesthetic treatments without the relevant qualifications. Not only are some very important rules being broken (for example, Botox® is a Prescription Only Medicine and should only be administered following a face to face consultation with a Prescriber)…. Should things go wrong these “unqualified” practitioners do not stand to lose a qualification such as their nurse registration!
Going for accreditation
So even though I am a “rule bound” nurse I decided that I would apply to join a voluntary register called Save Face. The organisation’s priority is public safety and that only those suitably qualified should offer injectable solutions to anti-ageing. While the government are still tightening up their system of industry regulation (these things take time seemingly) Save Face was appointed to handle that task. On application I was given a strict set of criteria I would need to meet as minimum standards and a 3 week notice for my face to face assessment. Submitting evidence of training and qualifications was only the beginning.
The best I can be
I have high standards and wasn’t in any doubt I would meet their requirements. However, full examination of their policies and procedures made me reflect on my own practises. Even for Skin Deep Clinic, there were a few areas I had to tighten up on to show that I crossed every ‘t’ and dotted every ‘i’. The process made it even more baffling to me how so many unqualified practitioners get away with what they do for so long when the standard for safe practise should be so high!
Gaining accreditation
I had my assessment on August 9th and my policies and procedures were quite rightly probed in detail to ensure public safety wasn’t being compromised. As nurses, we are used to being scrutinised by ourselves and others so this wasn’t too stressful. I was just looking forward to finding out if I was successful in meeting their strict criteria… and it turned out I was!
Excellence in aesthetics
On completion and admission to the register I had to gain a minimum of 50 positive reviews from patients. I sent out a request to my clients and within less than 48 hours had achieved the goal of 50 – and beyond! That truly blew my mind and I thank each and every one if you for your wonderful comments and feedback. You can see my Save Face profile and read those reviews here.
Straight after the assessment I hopped over to the French Alps with my children for a much needed summer break. One phrase the French say which I like (but won’t try to say in French!) is “Assuring you of my best intentions at all times…” So that’s my promise to you. I hope this accreditation is further proof of that!
Until next time…
Wendy
